Crank It Up

You wired half the houses on our street Union card and a Pittsburgh drawl Couldn't pass a crooked switch plate, Dad Even hanging on somebody else's wall You'd tip it level with your thumb Like the whole house owed you that Then you'd flip the lights on, grinning Like you'd pulled a rabbit from a hat

Crank it up Don't you dare play this one slow You'd hate a sad song, and we know So crank it up and let it go

Saturday, the radio was loud Balanced on the porch rail all day long Every red light was a drum kit Your hands slapping the wheel along Twenty-two years you held the chains Down the sideline, Friday nights Through all three of us kids Through the rain and snow and lights

Crank it up Don't you dare play this one slow You'd hate a sad song, and we know So crank it up and let it go

Fourth of July, the first batch burned You'd swear that it was for the dog Called Mom Boss for forty-eight years And meant it every word you talked August came, you were seventy-four Hospital lights, the room gone still You looked at me and said, "Crank it up" So that's the thing we will

Crank it up Don't you dare play this one slow You'd hate a sad song, and we know So crank it up and let it go

Somewhere every switch plate's sitting straight Somewhere Boss is laughing at your jokes We'll hold the line the way you held the chains And keep the radio on, Ray

Crank it up Don't you dare play this one slow We'll smile through it, now we know So crank it up and let it go

You wired half the houses on our street And left the lights on, Dad