OL' FORTY-NINE

Duration

4:54

Description

Lyrics

OL’ FORTY-NINE Songwriter: Tom Martel SPENT THE SUMMERS AT MY FAV’RITE PLACE GRANDMA MADE PIES… GRANDPA TOLD STORIES HE TAUGHT ME HOW TO HUNT… AND HOW TO TIE FISHIN’ FLIES ONE RAINY DAY I WAS MESSIN’ IN THE CELLAR CAME ACROSS A PICTURE… IT HAD TURNED KINDA YELLOW IT WAS ARMY MEN NEXT TO A DUSTY BOTTLE OF WINE I BLEW HARD ENOUGH TO SEE THE LABEL: “VINTAGE NINETEEN FORTY-NINE” I ASKED GRANDPA WHAT THEY MEANT HE GOT A FAR-AWAY LOOK… SAID “I FOUGHT WITH THEM BOYS IN THE BIG WAR USED TO GET TOGETHER NEARLY EV’RY YEAR, NOW WE’RE JUST A FEW ALIVE EARLY ON WE BOUGHT THAT BOTTLE OF OL’ FORTY-NINE MADE A PROMISE THE ONE LEFT BEHIND GIVES A FINAL SALUTE… AND DRINKS THE WINE” I SAID “GRANDPA, I HOPE IT’S YOU… I HOPE YOU WIN!” HE PUT HIS HAND ON MY SHOULDER SAID “THE WINNIN’ GOT OVER A LONG, LONG TIME AGO… AND BOY, HERE’S SOMETHIN’ YOU OUGHTA KNOW…” WHEN YOU’RE THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ DON’T ALWAYS MEAN YOU WON MEANS YOU GOT MORE MEM’RIES MEANS YOUR TIME AIN’T DONE THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ OPENS UP THE WINE AND LIFTS A TOAST TO THE ONES WHO GAVE THE MOST TO THE BEST HE’S EVER KNOWN THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ DRINKS ALONE. WHEN GRANDMA PASSED I FLEW HOME FROM SCHOOL WE GATHERED AT THE HOMESTEAD EATIN’AND REMEMBERIN’ GOOD FAMILY TIMES THEN SOMETHIN’ CAUGHT MY EYE SITTIN’ ON THE MANTLE WAS OL’ FORTY-NINE THE CORK HALF-IN, THE WINE ‘BOUT HALF-GONE FROM WHAT I COULD SEE GRANDPA SHUFFLED OVER, PUT HIS HAND ON MY SHOULDER SAID “YEAH… IT WAS ME” HE TOOK A LONG, HARD LOOK AT OL’ FORTY-NINE HE PUT IT IN MY HANDS, TOLD ME IT WAS MINE SAID “I’M DONE WITH IT NOW… YOU KEEP IT IN THE FAM’LY AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT REMEMBER ME AND TIP YOUR HAT TO THE ONES WHO FOUGHT TO KEEP YOU FREE AND BOY, WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG, THEM WORDS I SAID TO YOU… GOD KNOWS, THEY WERE TRUE…” WHEN YOU’RE THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ DON’T ALWAYS MEAN YOU WON MEANS YOU GOT MORE MEM’RIES MEANS YOUR TIME AIN’T DONE THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ OPENS UP THE WINE AND LIFTS A TOAST TO THE ONES WHO GAVE THE MOST TO THE BEST HE’S EVER KNOWN THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ DRINKS ALONE. I COULDN’T HAVE KNOWN I’D GET FULLY GROWN END UP WITH A WAR OF MY OWN MADE IT HOME SOMEHOW FROM THAT HELL IN THE GULF FIGHTIN’ THE GUILT… WONDERIN’ WHY I WAS THE ONLY GUY FROM BRAVO TEN TO KISS AMERICAN SOIL AGAIN SPENT THE FIRST DAY BACK WITH MY WIFE AND SON WHEN DARKNESS FELL I SLIPPED OUTSIDE WITH OL’ FORTY-NINE LIFTED IT HIGH TO THE STARS IN THE EASTERN SKY SAID A PRAYER… AND PULLED THAT BOTTLE DRY THEN I LET THE TEARS GO SAID “GRANDPA, NOW I KNOW.” WHEN YOU’RE THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ DON’T ALWAYS MEAN YOU WON MEANS YOU GOT MORE MEM’RIES MEANS YOUR TIME AIN’T DONE THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ HE OPENS UP THE WINE AND LIFTS A TOAST TO THE ONES WHO GAVE THE MOST TO THE BEST HE’S EVER KNOWN THE LAST MAN STANDIN’ DRINKS ALONE. © Tom Martel 2010