THE MAN IN THE SHADOW

HE GREW UP WITHOUT HIS FATHER
THATS A HARD WAY TO GROW
WHEN YOU GROW UP IN THE SHADOW
OF THE MAN YOU'LL NEVER KNOW

THE MEMORYS OF HIS FATHER
WERE IN AN OLD CEDER CHEST
I'M AFRAID THATS ALL A FAMILY GETS
WHEN A SOLDIER DOES HIS BEST

SO HE RAN OUT ON THAT FIELD
IN HIS UNIFORM READY TO PLAY
HE WANTED TO BE THE HERO
WHO WOULD WIN THE GAME THAT DAY

THE COACH CAME WALKING OVER
TO HIS MOTHER IN THE FRONT ROW
OUR TEAM WOULD HAVE FAILED WITHOUT HIM
YOU KNOW YOUR SON IS A HERO

WHEN HE MADE HIS WAY TO COLLEGE
THINGS DIDN'T SEEM THE SAME
HE DIDN'T FEEL HE HAD GAINED THE RESPECT
OF THE OTHERS PLAYING THE GAME

SO HE DROPED OUT OF COLLEGE
TO JOIN THE TEAM OF THE MEN
MARCHING OF TO WAR

SO HE COULD PROVE TO HIMSELF
HE COULD BE MORE OF A MAN
THEN HE HAD EVER BEEN BEFORE

WITH A CROWED GATHERED AROUND
HIS MOTHER IN THE FRONT ROW
THE RESPECTFULL SOLDIER STOOD
OUR TEAM WOULD HAVE FAILED WITHOUT HIM
YOUR SON WILL FOREVER BE A HERO

AS SHE SAT THERE ALONE
WITH HIS FLAG IN HER HAND
SHE KNOW FINNALLY REALIZED
THAT SHE COULD RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND

HE GREW UP WITHOUT HIS FATHER
THATS A HARD WAY TO GROW
BUT NOW HER SON WAS A HERO
LIKE THE MAN HE NEVER GOT TO KNOW

ALBERT