This got pretty personal. Shit. Everything in this song is true. The person to whom I'm speaking in the lyric is Carol, my grandmother, she's the lady in the center of the picture. On your right is Max, my grandfather, and on your left is Sharon, my mother. Don Shelton is the man she was with after she and my grandfather divorced (he can be found in the top photo and in the right-most photo). He was a huge influence on me. He was the kindest person I've ever met. I've never met anyone since that had so much love in them. The red apron guy is Max again, the man taught me how to work. He's still alive though, and this song is about the ones that have passed...though, I just found out yesterday that he and his wife have Covid, she's unvaxxed, and they're both taking...get this...Ivermectin. Thank God stupid isn't always genetic, right? Anyway, underneath red apron guy is (from left to right) Don Shelton, Mom, Donald Ray Bridges (I refer to him as Ray in the song to prevent confusion), and my grandma. To the right of that photo is Max's (red apron guy's) parents, Inez and Roy. On the top right hand side is my father and mother at their prom at 18 years old. I was born two years later. Bottom right hand is my mom's grandma, I don't remember her name.
And there it is. A song my grandmother would be proud of. I've never forgotten my roots, Mawmaw, and I never will. Love you.
lyrics
Gone are the days of “Baby Dale”
Of skipping rocks and raising hell
An old dirt road and wishing well
Our little farm a citadel
An endless stream of cigarettes
The smell of ‘em I can’t forget
Elvis records, 8 track cassettes
Sowing machine and quilting mess
I keep your picture on my wall
My mom, uncle, and Grandmawmaw
Donny Shelton in coveralls
He took me fishing every Fall
Learned to play in your living room
Learned to cook in your kitchen too
Gotta say you were gone too soon
It crushed my mom, the missing you
I keep your picture on my wall
My mom, uncle, and Grandmawmaw
Donny Shelton in coveralls
He took me fishing every Fall
If in Heaven you see Mom there
Give her my love and this short prayer
Tell Donny that I miss him too,
And uncle Ray to crack a few
So many people dead and gone
Such is the way of flesh and bone
Taken to that somewhere isle
We only have a little while
I keep your picture on my wall
My mom, uncle, and Grandmawmaw
Donny Shelton in coveralls
He took me fishing every Fall
You share a frame with Grandpa Max
My mom’s grandma, my mem’ry lacks
My mom and Dad when still in love
Inez and Roy you’ve joined above
I keep your picture on my wall
My mom, uncle, and Grandmawmaw
Donny Shelton in coveralls
Maybe one day I’ll see you all
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