My father was a private man Who seldom spoke to me at all He ruled his house with an iron hand Still he'd catch me if I'd fall My mama's somewhere in my memory Why she left I never knew Sometimes I'd see her in daddy's eyes Then he'd shed a tear or two For eighteen years I had to live his ways I stood man to man that day He said out the door and you're on your own But take this with you on your way Chorus: Don't throw wood on a dying fire Unless you want that fire to Burn burn again Tend the embers or spread the ashes But see it through till the end In one ear and I was down the road The years passed by in nothin' flat Now I'm starin' at that same heavy load My daddy carried on his back The only woman that I've ever held I'm havin' trouble holdin' now She wants to know can we work this out I know we would if we knew how (Chorus) A tear or two and I remembered The pained expression on his face Then I thought of what my daddy said And how it must have hurt to say (Chorus)