There was a kid who'd bare turned twelve
When he saw his papa shoot himself
From that moment, he was changed
From that moment, he took the blame

There's a weight upon his shoulder
It grows heavier as he gets older
He said, "the oppressed become bolder
As this world gets colder"
He whispered at his papa's grave
"It's my fault you ain't getting older"
It's not his fault he ain't getting older
It's our fault he ain't getting older

The years fly by
And he don't cry
He's sixteen now
His head is bowed
He runs around drinking
Drinking so that he can't be thinking
His mama cries when he stumbles home
Where he's been, she don't wanna know

There's a weight upon his shoulder
It grows heavier as he gets older
He said, "the oppressed become bolder
As this world gets colder"
He whispered at his papa's grave
"It's my fault you ain't getting older"
It's not his fault he ain't getting older
It's our fault he ain't getting older

The years fly by
And he don't cry
He's twenty now
Got himself a bride
She tries to steer him from the dark
But the drinks and the pills, he'd already start
She watched as he wasted away
All because of that fateful day

There's a weight upon his shoulder
It grows heavier as he gets older
He said, "the oppressed become bolder
As this world gets colder"
He whispered at his papa's grave
"It's my fault you ain't getting older"
It's not his fault he ain't getting older
It's our fault he ain't getting older

The years fly by
And he don't cry
He's thirty now
Can't look his son in the eye
Doesn't want him to grow like his father
Doesn't want him to be another city robber
His wife left him five years ago
Told him to get clean before they gave it a go

There's a weight upon his shoulder
It grows heavier as he gets older
He said, "the oppressed become bolder
As this world gets colder"
He whispered at his papa's grave
"It's my fault you ain't getting older"
It's not his fault he ain't getting older
It's our fault he ain't getting older

The years fly by
And he don't cry
He's forty now
Kissed his mama goodbye
His liver's failing
His guilt prevailing
He's in a hospital bed
Expecting to be dead

There's a weight upon his shoulder
It grows heavier as he gets older
He said, "the oppressed become bolder
As this world gets colder"
He whispered at his papa's grave
"It's my fault you ain't getting older"
It's not his fault he ain't getting older
It's our fault he ain't getting older

The years fly by
And he don't cry
He's forty-two now
Ready to die
He's gotten his life together
He and his wife are back together
But the damage has been done
He's with his papa once again