Intro G G D D

G
I was at that smart-ass time of my life
G
Where I’d pick a fight just to pick a fight
D
If he said black, I said white
D
If he took one side I took the other side
G
The dinner table we sat around
G
Was more like a battleground
D
And I lost more times than I won
D
I woulda learned later on
Bm                 G                   A
That he was always preachin’ ‘bout his past
Bm          G                   A
I just kept screamin’ “Come on, Dad!”


D
That was twenty years ago
                     Em
You don’t know me at all!
                  G                          A
Tryin’ to talk to you is like talkin’ to the wall
                     D                         Em
Yeah, you gave me my life, but it’s my life to live
              D/F#                      G
Maybe I don’t wanna live it like you did, Twenty years ago


G
He was built with blue collar sweat and blood
G
Squared jaw and a crew cut
D
A purple heart, a Viet Vet.
D
He'd tell you every chance he'd get
G
Always runnin’ down my rock n' roll,
G
My friends, my hair, my clothes
D
But one night it got out of control
D
And right there we came to blows
Bm                G                A
And that was just enough to get me gone
Bm         G                 A
I couldn't wait to prove him wrong!


D
Twenty years ago
                 Em
Struck out on my own
                 G
Couldn't tell me nothin’
                      A
That I didn’t already know
            D
I was on my way
                     Em
So what the hell did I care
                         D/F#
About my old man and his gray hair
                         G
Thought about the road I chose
A            Em   Bm Em Bm
Twenty years ago



(Bridge spoken, Fingerpicked)

Em
"Well I left as fast as the leaves fell that autumn
Bm
I never looked back and I never once called him
Em
but every time I talked to momma
                     Bm
I wondered if he was there, or if he even cared
Em
I figured I walked out of him and the course of our love had run
Bm                                                Em
momma said 'no, no, you listen to me son, he’s a stubborn man and he 

won't give in.
   Bm                                       
He believes what he believes, well you’re just like him'
G
Well I could tell by her voice there was something wrong

she broke down, and said he ain’t got long

So I caught the next plane home,

thought about all the years gone
                                     
Had my pride that I let so much time go by
Em                        Em7
I ran up those stairs and stood by his bed
 
and I cried"


D
Twenty years ago
                  Em
Thought I knew it all
                    G
but tryin’ to talk to me
                      A
was like talkin’ to a wall

                  D
I thought I was a man
              Em
Actin’ like I did
                     D/F#
but all I want right now
                   G
Is just to be your kid
G              D/F#            G
Just before my dad gave up the ghost
                         D/F#        G
He took my hand and said "son let it go, that was twenty years ago"

Twenty years ago