For the longest time, I guess I thought
He didn't give a damn
Hard to read, hard to please
Yeah, that was my ole man

On the day I left for college, 
It was nothin' new
We never had that heart to heart
He had too much to do

He checked the air in my tires, 
The belts and all the spark plug wires
Said, "When the hell's the last time
"You had this oil changed"

And as I pulled out the drive
He said, "Be sure to call your mom sometime"
And I didn't hear it then, but I hear it now
He was saying "I love you" the only way he knew how

A hundred twenty thousand miles
And six years down the road
A brand new life and a brand new wife
And we'd just bought our first home

When he finally came to visit, 
I thought he'd be so proud
He never said he liked the place
He just got his tool belt out

And put new locks on the doors
Went back and forth to the hardware store
Said, "Come and hold this flashlight"
As he crawled beneath the sink

"These ole wires ain't up to code, 
"And that circuit box is gonna overload"
And I didn't hear it then, but I hear it now
He was saying "I love you" the only way he knew how

Last Sunday, we all gathered for his sixty-fifth birthday
I knew he'd stiffen up, but I hugged him anywway
When it was finally time to say goodbye, I knew what was next
Just like he always does, right before we left

He checked the air in my tires, 
The belts and all the spark plug wires
Said, "When the hell's the last time
"You had this oil changed"

And as I pulled out the drive
He said, "Be sure and call your mom sometime"
And I didn't hear it then, but I hear it now
He was saying "I love you"
He was saying "I love you" the only way he knew how