I'll Sleep
Randy Houser Lyrics

My daddy used to sing about a preacher man
My father would often tell me about a song his father would sing, about a preacher man.

Who lost his wife, she was his whole life
The song was about a preacher who had lost his wife, who meant everything to him.

He kissed me, then he took me in with his old guitar
One day, my father played the song to me, while playing the guitar.

Man that second verse, I hung on every word
I was particularly attentive to the second verse of the song and listened to every word carefully.

I'd drift off and get lost in between
As the song went on, I would sometimes start to feel sleepy and notice that I was drifting off.

A melody and a dream and he'd sing
The melody of the song and my dreams would blend together as my father sang.

Please come back to me, we're gonna build this spring and start a family
The lyrics of the song mourn the loss of a loved one and express a desire to start a new life and family.

Please just one more day, so much to say, don't leave this way
The singer wants more time with the person they've lost and regrets not being able to express how they feel.

Lives on in my fondest memories, he'd sing and I'd sleep
The song remains a cherished memory from the past, reminding the singer of their father and their shared experiences.

Well, I grew up like a weed through my teenage years
As the singer got older, they continued to grow rapidly and develop quickly.

Oh, daddy tried but I'd barely even say goodnight
The singer's father tried to connect with them, but the singer was more interested in their own life.

I'm sure he thought my mind was on girls and school
The father likely assumed that the singer was preoccupied with typical teenage interests.

But I was just way too cool to say I love you
The singer wanted to appear too cool to express affection towards their father.

But he didn't know that when I close my eyes
Despite their outward attitude, the singer still held the same feelings towards their father.

And turned out the lights that I'd hear
When they turned off the lights at night, the singer would listen to the same song sung by their father.

After all those nights and all these years
Years have passed since those nights, but the memory of the song and their father remain.

Here we are and here he is taking his last breath
The singer and their father are together again, but this time, the father is dying.

And I'm man enough to cry and he's way too young to say goodbye
Despite the singer's emotional reaction to their father's death, the father was still too young to die.

And he's all but lived and man I'm scared to death
Despite their youth, the father had lived a full life, while the singer is scared of what's to come.

Please come back to me, right now I need you more than anything
In his final moments, the singer expresses his need for his father, one last time.

Please just one more day, so much to say, wish you could stay
The singer regrets not having more time to tell his father everything he needed to say and wishes he could stay longer.

And he squeezed my hand and kissed me on the cheek
In a moment of closeness, the father touches the singer's hand and cheek.

And said you sing and I'll sleep
The father encourages the singer to continue singing the same song and he will sleep in peace.