The Grandpa That I Know
Patty Loveless Lyrics


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Brand new shoes, they hurt my feet
This lace collar's chokin' me
Cuttin' off my air supply
When I hang my head to cry
When I hang my head to cry

I see tears on daddy's face
Someone's hummin' "Amazing Grace"
Rain beats on this graveside tier
Preacher says he did repent
Preacher says he did repent

They've got him layin' there in pin stripes
How'd they get him in that suit?
I guess the Lord will recognize him
Without his overalls an' mule
An' they all say he looks so natural
But all I see's a cold dark hole
I won't commit this day to memory
That ain't the Grandpa that I know
That ain't the Grandpa that I know

Tractor never pulled his plough
He walked, an' cussed, an' loved that ground
His hand sowed each and every seed
An' he'd pray for rain an' fight the weeds
He'd pray for rain an' fight the weeds
He said: "The simple life, it suits me fine"
Never dreamed beyond the County line
Grandma was his boyhood bride
He'll be there in her arms tonight
He'll sleep there in her arms tonight

They've got him layin' there in pin stripes
How'd they get him in that suit?
I guess the Lord will recognize him
Without his overalls an' mule
An' they all say he looks so natural
But all I see's a cold dark hole
I won't commit this day to memory
That ain't the Grandpa that I know

They played a pretty organ number
Swore it was his favorite tune
But I know he preferred a fiddle
Playin' Carroll County Blues
They all say he looks so natural
But all I see's a cold dark hole
I won't commit this day to memory




That ain't the Grandpa that I know
That ain't the Grandpa that I know

Overall Meaning

"The Grandpa That I Know" is a song by Patty Loveless that portrays the feelings of the singer towards her grandfather's funeral. She notices how the shoes she's been made to wear hurt her feet, and the lace collar feels constricting and choking. The grandpa died and was buried in a suit, and his granddaughter feels that he doesn't look like himself without his overalls and mule. She remembers him as a simple man who farmed the ground by walking, praying for rain, and fighting the weeds. He never wanted anything beyond the county line, and he loved his grandma, whom he'll be with now in her arms. She notices the tears on her daddy's face and someone humming "Amazing Grace," and the preacher mentioning that the grandpa had repented before passing away.


The second verse is divided into two sections. The first outlines how the singer cannot recognize her grandfather in the pin stripes he's been laid in for his funeral. She can only see a cold dark hole, and she refuses to commit this day to memory. The second section mentions that an organ is played in the funeral as his favorite tune, but the grandpa preferred the sound of fiddles and the Carroll County Blues.


* The song was from Loveless's album When Fallen Angels Fly, released in 1994, and hit number 75 on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1995.
* It was written by Carl Jackson and Jim Rushing, inspired by the death of Jackson's grandfather.
* Loveless performed the song during the funeral scene of the TV series Touched by an Angel, which aired in 1995.
* In 2005, Martina McBride recorded a cover of the song for her album Timeless.
* The song's music video was directed by Deaton-Flanigen Productions.
* "The Grandpa That I Know" has been rated as one of Loveless's most meaningful and emotional songs.
* Loveless once stated that the song helped her deal with the loss of her own grandfather.
* The song was performed at Loveless's grandfather's funeral.
* Jackson, the co-writer of the song, once played in Dolly Parton's band and sang harmonies on many of her songs.
* Carla Ciuffo, who was Loveless's hairstylist in the early 1990s, played the part of the granddaughter in the music video.


Chords: G, C, D, Em, Am


Line by Line Meaning

Brand new shoes, they hurt my feet
The singer is uncomfortable and in pain in this new, unfamiliar situation.


This lace collar's chokin' me
The singer feels restricted and uncomfortable due to the formal attire they are wearing.


Cuttin' off my air supply
The tightness of the collar is causing difficulty breathing.


When I hang my head to cry
The artist is feeling emotional and may need to cry at this funeral.


I see tears on daddy's face
The artist observes that their father is also emotional and grieving.


Someone's hummin' 'Amazing Grace'
There is a musical tribute being played to the deceased.


Rain beats on this graveside tier
It is raining and the rain is falling on the grave site where the singer, their family, and others are gathered for the funeral.


Preacher says he did repent
The artist hears the preacher giving a eulogy and saying that the deceased asked for forgiveness before they died.


They've got him layin' there in pin stripes
The artist observes that the deceased is dressed in an unfamiliar, formal outfit for the funeral.


How'd they get him in that suit?
The artist is wondering how the funeral home dressed the deceased in this unfamiliar outfit.


I guess the Lord will recognize him
The singer believes that God will recognize the deceased regardless of their attire.


Without his overalls an' mule
The artist identifies that the deceased was normally seen in rustic clothing and associated with a mule from their agricultural work.


An' they all say he looks so natural
Others at the funeral are commenting on how 'natural' the deceased looks, meaning that he looks peaceful and as if he is just sleeping.


But all I see's a cold dark hole
The singer is unable to see the deceased as just sleeping and sees the grave as a black hole.


I won't commit this day to memory
The singer does not want to remember this day with the deceased being dressed and presented differently than they knew them.


That ain't the Grandpa that I know
The artist is lamenting that the presentation of the deceased is not true to their memories and image of their grandfather.


Tractor never pulled his plough
The artist is reminiscing on their grandfather's rural embodiment- he never used a tractor and never plowed his land with anything but his own strength.


He walked, an' cussed, an' loved that ground
The singer remembers their grandfather as a dedicated, strong-willed farmer who cherished the land he worked on.


His hand sowed each and every seed
The singer remembers their grandfather as someone who put in hard work and care to the crops he planted.


An' he'd pray for rain an' fight the weeds
The artist ruminates about the importance their grandfather gave to the success of his crops and would spend time in prayer for his work.


He said: 'The simple life, it suits me fine'
The artist recalls their grandfather's appreciation for living a content and uncomplicated existence.


Never dreamed beyond the County line
The artist remembers their grandfather as someone who didn't feel the need for a broadening of his horizons and held satisfaction living simply in his community.


Grandma was his boyhood bride
The singer mentions that the grandfather was married to their grandmother since they were both young.


He'll be there in her arms tonight
The artist believes that the grandfather is reunited with their grandmother in the afterlife.


They played a pretty organ number
Another musical tribute is being played at the funeral.


Swore it was his favorite tune
Despite their claim, the song being played was not the deceased's favorite.


But I know he preferred a fiddle
The singer remembers that their grandfather enjoyed a different type of music.


Playin' Carroll County Blues
The artist specifies that their grandfather preferred a particular song, Carroll County Blues.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SHAWN CAMP, TIM MENSY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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