Story Behind The Song
I read this story many years ago written from the father's perspective. I wanted to tell it in a song.
Song Description
A woman puts her children and husband above her own sadness to make sure the relationship between kids and dad stay strong. The father comes home to tell his wife he is leaving her. She has been told she only has weeks to live but is unable to tell her husband this now. Instead, she asks him to stay for just a short time to kind of prepare the kids for the divorce. Truth is she knew if he left in her most needed time, the kids would hate their dad. She made sure, even in the end, to protect his character and her children's need to love the parent they had left.
| Song Length |
4:49 |
Genre |
Country - General, Country - Cowboy |
| Tempo |
Slow (71 - 90) |
Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
| Mood |
Heartbreaking |
Subject |
Sorrow, Divorce |
| Language |
English |
Era |
2000 and later |
Lyrics
She sat down on a kitchen chair. Poured some wine and waited there.
He walked in-late again. She tried to share her news with him.
He had something that he needed to say. It wasn't supposed to go this way.
He had found somebody new. He said "what am I supposed to do?"
She cried... Play pretend if you will, make the kids believe you love me still
Lift me up the way you used to do. Lay me down next to you
In the end--play pretend
One request from his wife, who raised his kids-- took care of life.
Could he stay a week or two. It's the least he could do.
Every night he carried her up the stairs. She would cry. The kids would cheer.
Day by day it felt more right. Became the best part of his night.
She's say... Play pretend if you will, make the kids believe you love me still
Lift me up the way you used to do. Lay me down next to you
In the end--play pretend
Bridge:
He came home early, wanted her know
He had changed his mind, he didn't want to go
He couldn't find her anywhere. He walked up the stairs
Her note read "It'll be alright. The angels carried me tonight.
No more need to pretend, the kids will love you till the end
He didn't know that she'd been ill. He was too busy thinking of his own damn self
She had known all along, in a matter of weeks she'd be gone.
He cried... Play pretend if you will. Make the kids believe you love me still
I'll lift you up the way I used to do. I'll lay down next to you
In the end--play pretend