The Living Years

Every generation
 Blames the one before
 And all of their frustrations
 Come beating on your door
 I know that I'm a prisoner
 To all my father held so dear
 I know that I'm a hostage
 To all his hopes and fears
 I just wish I could have told him in the living years
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 Oh, crumpled bits of paper
 Filled with imperfect thought
 Stilted conversations
 I'm afraid that's all we've got
 You say you just don't see it
 He says it's perfect sense
 You just can't get agreement
 In this present tense
 We all talk a different language
 Talking in defense
 (Say it loud) Say it loud (Say it clear) oh, say it clear
 (You can listen as well as you hear)
 (It's too late) It's too late (when we die) Oh, when we die
 (To admit we don't see eye to eye)
 So we open up a quarrel
 Between the present and the past
 We only sacrifice the future
 It's the bitterness that lasts
 So don't yield to the fortunes
 You sometimes see as fate
 It may have a new perspective
 On a different date
 And if you don't give up, and don't give in
 You may just be O.K.
 So say it, say it, say it loud (Say it loud)
 (Say it clear) Oh, say it clear
 (You can listen as well as you hear)
 Because it's too late (It's too late)
 It's too late (When we die) oh, when we die
 To admit we don't see eye to eye
 I wasn't there that morning
 When my Father passed away
 I didn't get to tell him
 All the things I had to say
 Think I caught his spirit
 Later that same year
 I'm sure I heard his echo
 In my baby's new born tears
 I just wish I could have told him in the living years
 So say it, say it, say it loud (Say it loud)
 (Say it clear) Oh, say it clear
 (You can listen as well as you hear)
 (It's too late) It's too late
 (When we die) It's too late when we die
 (To admit we don't see eye to eye)
 Hey, so say it, say it, say it loud (Say it loud)
 Say it loud (Say it clear) Oh no, say it clear