Daddy Sold the Farm

I live in a condo village now. I feel encroached upon

and think constantly about the pastoral peace of my 

childhood. I was raised on a half section of bucolic

rolling hills surrounded by evergreen forest and a fruit

orchard behind the ranch house. In three years I will retire.

 You can bet your sweet buttermilk, I'll be looking for a 

way to get back to country living. 

I wrote this song when I was 19 and fresh off the farm.

I have adapted over the years, but the yearning has never

left me.

[G]Life ain’t been the same since [D] Daddy sold the[G] farm

He[C] sold a little piece of my[D] soul and broke my[G] heart

[D]Those people cut the farm[C] into a thousand[D] plots

With a[C] thousand tract [D]houses and an[C] apple tree

In every[D] yard

The[G] land will never[C] be the same

Since[D] Daddy sold the[G] farm

[D]The man who bought it, said it would always be the[G] same

[C] That he loved Daddy’s land,[D] too, but[G] could he change the[D] name

[G]Well, it’s now Pleasant Valley ([D]What a lovely[G] name)

But since Daddy let him[C] change the name

It’s [D]never been the[G] same

[D]Daddy’s doin’ fine now, a hundred thousand, after[G] taxes

[C]Except he’s now[D] into a higher income[G] bracket

The man who loved Daddy’s land, [D]must be smilin’

Without a [G]care

Cuz there ain’t too many[C] taxes that’ll[D] hurt

A multi-[G]millionaire

(Repeat chorus-first stanza)

[D]I’m the only one who ain’t smiling[G] now

[C]Since I have to live in[G] town

And [D]raise my kids on pavement

Instead of grassy[G] ground

And the[D] values that I learned

Won’t keep them from much[G] harm

Cuz we have to be city[C]-dwellers

Since[D] Daddy sold the [G]farm!

(Repeat chorus)

This will be in my "A Farmer's Daughter" chapbook.

raintreepoet, reporting.