Papa
ANDERSON BILL Lyrics

Papa was a simple man papa loved his farming land
My father was a man who was content with the simple things in life, and he had a deep love for his land and the work that he did on it.

Guess I didn't understand please forgive me papa
Looking back, I realize that I didn't fully appreciate my father and the life he lived, and I hope he can forgive me for that.

You can't paint a picture of a man like papa with something as empty as words
My father was a complex and multifaceted person who couldn't be fully captured by mere words alone.

'Cause there's no way to measure the thoughness of timber And compare it to the softness of birds
My father had strength and resilience like the tough timber he worked with, but he also had a softness and warmth like the gentle birds he cherished.

Papa was both and yet he was neither just a hard working God fearing soul
My father embodied both strength and gentleness, but ultimately he was a hardworking person who put his faith in God above all else.

He gave what he had to the ones that he loved and I guess he loved me best of all
My father was a selfless person who gave everything he had to those he loved, and it's a comfort to know that he loved me deeply.

For I was the oldest and we were the closest we worked that old farm side by side
As the oldest child, I had a special bond with my father, and we worked together on the farm for many years.

I guess that's the reason it hit me the hardest the morning that my papa died
Losing my father was especially difficult for me because of our close relationship and shared experiences.

All I could think of was how hard he'd worked and what little comfort he'd found
My father worked tirelessly on the farm and provided for his family, but I couldn't help but think that he deserved more comfort and ease in his life.

I guess that's the reason I hitched up the mule and drove the old buggy to town
In honor of my father, I wanted to do something special to mark his passing, so I drove him into town for a proper funeral.

I picked out a lot in the big cemetery in the shade of a tall maple tree Figured it's the least I could do for my papa After all the things that he's done for me
Choosing a spot in the cemetery where he could rest under a shade tree felt like the least I could do to honor my father and all that he had done for me throughout his life.

We gave him a funeral fit for a king and then we laid him to rest in the sod Somehow I thought that in that big pretty place he just might feel closer to God
We gave my father a grand funeral befitting of a king, and I hoped that being laid to rest in a beautiful cemetery would bring him closer to God.

The women were crying as they passed by papa the men stopped and all shook my hand Most of the mourness had gone when I looked up and noticed this white haired old man
At the funeral, the women were crying and the men offered condolences, but I was struck by an old man with white hair who seemed to know my father.

He was dressed kinda shabby and he walked with a cane his voice was shaky and low I had to look twice before I rocognized him he used to work for us a long time ago
The old man was dressed poorly and seemed frail, but I eventually recognized him as a former employee of my father's farm from many years ago.

They told me this morning that the big boss had died And I thought that I should come around I went out to the homeplace to tell him goodbye They told me that you done brought him to town
The old man explained that he had only just heard about my father's passing and had come to pay his respects, but found that I had already taken my father's body into town for the funeral.

I remember your papa used to say that when he died he didn't have but one request He wanted to be burried out dare on that farm He said there wadn't nowhere else that he could rest
The old man shared a memory of my father expressing his desire to be buried on the farm where he had spent his life, as he felt that was the only place where he truly belonged.

When I heard what you'd done I fatched me a shovel found me an old paper sack I scooped up some dirt from up near the farmhouse And thought that I'd just bring it back
In honor of my father's wishes, the old man had come armed with a shovel and a paper sack, and had scooped up some earth from around the farmhouse to bring back with him.

I hope you don't mind if I just sorta scatter these few little pieces of clay It ain't gonna mess up your pretty green grass he just might sleep better this way
The old man asked my permission to scatter the dirt he had brought as a way of fulfilling my father's wish to be buried on the farm, and assured me that it wouldn't damage the beautiful green grass.

Guess I didn't understand please forgive me papa
As the song winds down, the singer reflects on his difficult relationship with his father, and how he wishes he had fully appreciated him while he was still alive.