Pop works in the shop till eight
Mom's on the phone and she's kind of irate
Sally's doing somersaults on the lawn
Pop slams open the front screen door
Just to scare Ma, she says "What the hell did you do that for?"
He washes his dirty hands in the sink
Things around the table are kind of rough
Ma says it's Pa, Pa says times are just tough
But me and Sally don't say much of nothing at all
The garage door light brightens up the night
Pa always works on cars when he gets in a fight
As if he could figure out that woman by working on that old car
He said "A car can cure any problem at all,
"'Cause seeing all those parts makes a fight look so small"
I wish he'd put me and Sally in the backseat and drive us away
That's when he sits me down,
Said he's gonna teach me about life
Said "A man needs a car, and a boy needs a bike.
"Got my first taste of freedom beneath the light of the moon"
If it were me, I'd have the guts
I'd put to test those bolts and nuts
And drive any way so fast, so far
We put away our tools, and go back inside
Mom feels left out and now she's starting to cry
I wonder if all girls are crazy this way
I wish that Pops would just get a spine
I said "I know it's kind of little, but you could borrow mine"
He just smiles and says "Your mom means well, son.
"You see, most times are good, it's just some that are lean.
"But love makes up for those times in between."
He got a tear in his eye as he took mama's hand
Said one day I'd understand
If it were me, I'd have the guts
I'd put to test those bolts and nuts
And ride any way so fast, so far
Any way, so fast, so far