Intro: verse 1 My old man was young once Or so the photo album claims Flip the page the baby jumps Some twenty years and change verse 2 From the cradle to the naval base A newlywed recruit Through the boot camp of a family man In a loose civilian suit Bridge But it was anchors aweigh now Singing "Courage, service true" All them anchors will weigh you down If you ain't fit for blue What did I know about it then? What do I know now? I have known the kind of man It takes to keep the vow To keep the vow verse 3 I'd say "Well I just thought…" And he'd cut me off Saying ‘That's what you get for thinking' I remember thinking that's probably not the best lesson for a kid verse 4 And although that was just something he said When I see what I get with my thinking I get to thinking he may have been some kinda genius In the effortless way he just did Bridge I learned your word is one thing, You keep it if you give it out But silence fans the fires a man Requires to keep the vow Chorus What did I know about it then? What do I know now? I have known the kind of man It takes to keep the vow To keep the vow Instrumental: Middle 8 I could've curled up in one footprint, One giant laugh, one giant hand Until the sickness and the treatment Shrunk him down to just a man A shrinking man still tinkering with my old busted car When his wedding ring must've slipped into the muddy yard At least that's what he figured when he noticed it was gone I can still see him on his knees digging up that lawn Verse 5 Now the flag is folded and the numbers are carved, Mississippi is glistening green Another summer's softly calling off The search for missing things Bridge But I have found that something kept To keep me company On these nights when me and my old man Go digging into dreams What did I know about it then? What do I know now? I have known the kind of man It takes to keep the vow I can only hope as I propose To man the outpost now I'll be armed with memories of the man it takes to keep the vow To keep the vow Outro (x4)