The Last Good Man
Written By: Jim Gaffney
[Verse 1]
My grandfather worked with calloused hands
Bought a house, built a life, and made his stand
My father fought for his country, then fought to be near
To the ones that he held even closer than fear
But me, I’ve drifted, chasing it seems
Lost in the shadow of my forefather’s dreams
They made the right choices while I flinch at my own
They wore truth like armor that I’ve never known
I lie awake and I wonder what they would say
If they saw the man I’ve become today
Is failure the curse that I carry by birth
A name I was given, but never deserved
[Chorus]
Is he the last good man, that father of mine
Or did the line break with me over time
He walked like a promise while I stumble and fall
Trying to be someone worthy at all
Would he see my efforts or only my scars
Or would he see the goodness within my heart
I still don’t know if he’ll ever see
The good man that I always wanted to be
[Verse 2]
I’ve let moments slip and turned from the fight
Found comfort in silence instead of what’s right
I’ve heard all their stories written in lore
Each of them taunt me to be something more
I speak to his picture, when no one's around
Asking if he’s proud or if I’ve just let him down
My boys they watch me with eager eyes
And I fear they'll inherit my hollow disguise
When I tuck them in and kiss their heads
I tell them father’s stories and things that he’s said
And I feel something shift deep in my chest
Maybe trying each day is what makes a man his best
[Chorus]
Is he the last good man, that father of mine
Or did the line break with me over time
He walked like a promise while I stumble and fall
Trying to be someone worthy at all
Would he see my efforts or only my scars
Or would he see the goodness within my heart
I still don’t know if he’ll ever see
The good man that I always wanted to be
[Bridge]
But tonight, my son, he called me brave
And I realized I’m my strongest when I’m afraid
His words broke through what I’ve fought to hide
Like he knew of the storm that I carried inside
And for the first time, I began to believe
That maybe there’s still some good inside of me
So I let the shame go and held on to grace
Found a quiet kind of pride in this place
The weight of the past began to bend
When I saw a new start where I thought it would end
[Chorus]
Is he the last good man, that father of mine
Maybe goodness can grow with the passing of time
I’ve fallen and failed but still I believe
That a man can change and accomplish his dreams
I hear his voice now, not judging but kind
Saying, “You’ll find your way, just give it time.”
The outcome we seek is all in our hands
I learned that lesson from a very good man
[Outro]
And when I’m gone, my sons will stand
Taller than me, much better men
They’ll say through the tears, just like they planned
“He wasn’t perfect, but he was a good man