Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Rise and Fall-A song for my grandpa

I set the video camera on the ledge of the window in the gallery on Friday morning after the opening of the show before the gallery was open for the day to take this video.
I wrote this song about my grandfather's funeral.
It felt right to play it in a gallery in Tennessee(the state he lived and died in) on a guitar that I painted Hank Williams Sr. on the back of.

Last Time I Saw You

the last time I saw you
you were all dressed up
for us to carry you down
your hair slicked back
your casket looked just like a cadillac

but you looked to old
you seemed to frail
even in your western cut suit
death was crampin' your style

but it all seemed wrong
it seemed so unfair
you used to be so strong
you looked weak lyin there

i said i wouldn't do it
i said i wouldn't walk right up
and take a good look at you
not with all that make-up
trying to hide what death had done to you

but i couldn't stay away
i guess i felt a pull
i felt weak for not resisting
until i saw your hands

your hands
they looked like a farmer's
your hands
they looked burley mean and rough
your hands
grandpa they still told your story
your hands
i could feel them steal my nose

written for my Grandpa Mitchell who died in 2005
lyrics copyright mikewindy 2005