"Half The Man" lyrics

There's an old song that says, "You're always seventeen in your hometown"
At the age of twenty-four, I know what they're talkin' 'bout
As I fire up the diesel, I'm surprised it even starts
Take a six pack to my sister's, Christmas lights on her carport

Same old familiar smile, we sit down and talk for a while
Every conversation makes me feel like I'm still a child
Says, "It's funny how you show your face every other holiday
But when they put Grandpa into his grave, you were a thousand miles away"

I wanna be half the man as my father stands
Be confident in who I am
If only I could be more like him
I wanna give half the love as my mother does
Make her proud to have a son
But after all I've done, I can't pretend
I'll never be half as good as them

Saw friends I've known since we were kids who have kids of their own
Now I feel like we're too old to sit in the barn gettin' stoned
They ask, "How's it living the dream and all those sights you've seen?"
If they only knew that the grass in the city streets weren't quite as green
I know I missed your wedding day to play an empty room in East LA
And sorry's all I got to say, my friend

I wanna be half the man as my father stands
Be confident in who I am
If only I could be more like him
I wanna give half the love as my mother does
Make her proud to have a son
But after all I've done, I can't pretend

I'll never be half as good as they were
And it might look good on paper
So I'll put my life till later
I know I left as a son and a brother
And I came home as a stranger

It's a feeling that I've always known
When pavement turns to gravel road
Sorry that it took so long
She said, "We're just glad you're home"