Truck Driver - Sun Kil Moon

My uncle died in a fire on his birthday

Redneck that he was, burning trash in his yard one day

And onto the pile, he threw an aerosol can of spray

And that’s how he died in the fire that day

Before he retired, he was a truck driver

He’d be gone through the winters and all through the summers

In the winters, us kids would order at Domino’s and watch Happy Days

And in the summer, we’d gig frogs at the pond and fry up their legs

My aunt still lives there

Out in Ohio

I visit her in the elder care

She makes me smile

We remember the story

Of when I was young

Getting stung by a hornet

She caressed my foot, rubbed baking powder on it

I was probably five at their home in Navarre

My cousin’s friend was in the yard, playing guitar

We all gathered around to listen to her play and sing

And I fell into a trance and knew that one day, I’d do the same thing

My uncle died in a fire on his birthday

Out by the barn and his old collection of cars

Third-degree burns, a charred-up shovel near his hand

My uncle died a respected man

I flew out there

I went to his funeral

It was storming that day

The sky was deep purple

And babies were crying

Kentucky Fried Chicken was served

And that’s how he would’ve wanted it

I’m sure

And after the funeral out there in Navarre

They all gathered 'round when I picked up a guitar

They fell into a trance as I sang and I played

And outside, the frogs croaked, and the mantises prayed