I have to admit I laughed — but also had a great sense of DAD-NESS when I heard this song. How did I discover it? My lovely then-21-year-old daughter Charlotte came in with a smile and said, “Dad, want to hear a song that reminds me of you?” I did and we listened to it together. I was proud ‘cuz I fight for my girls!  It’s my job — and my pleasure! I love them!

To enjoy this country song though — really — you have to listen to it with the volume turned up! I have posted a YouTube of the song with lyrics below for your listening pleasure.

All the boys who came into my little girls’ lives (Cindy, Charlotte, and Emily) all heard my “broken knee speech.” It went like this, “I love my girls and if you want to be friends with them you are now accountable to me. You will treat them with great respect. If you ever touch them wrongly or mistreat them, I will break both your knees. Don’t laugh, I am deadly serious!”

Top picture: Charlotte and I at a Father-Daughter Camp about 1995; Middle picture: Church Father-Daughter Dance in 2002; Third picture: Charlotte and I, 12 years ago when she told me about the song and before she went out to vote No-bama. Last Picture: Charlotte today with wonderful husband Wes Sorrill and their two kids Charlie and Linnea.

She was well worth every minute of my time, love and efforts. I love this girl!

Artist: Atkins Rodney
Song: Cleaning This Gun (Come on in Boy)
Album: If You’re Going Through Hell

The Declaration of Independence
Think I could tell you that first sentence
But then I’m lost

I can’t begin to count the theories
I’ve had pounded in my head
That I forgot

I don’t remember all that Spanish

Or the Gettysburg address
But there is one speech from high school
I’ll never forget

(Chorus)
Come on in boy sit on down
And tell me about yourself
So you like my daughter do you now?
Yeah we think she’s something else
She’s her daddy’s girl
Her momma’s world
She deserves respect
That’s what she’ll get
Ain’t it son?
Hey y’all run along and have some fun
I’ll see you when

you get back
Bet I’ll be up all night
Still cleanin’ this gun

Well now that I’m a father
I’m scared to death one day my daughter
Is gonna find
That teenage boy I used to be
That seems to have just one thing on his mind

She’s growin’ up so fast
It won’t be long before
I’ll have to put the fear of God into
Some kid at the door

IMG_5819
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Now it’s all for show
Ain’t nobody gonna get hurt
It’s just a daddy thing
And hey, believe me, man it works

(Chorus)
Come on in boy sit on down
And tell me about yourself
So you like my daughter do you now?
Yeah we think she’s something else
She’s her daddy’s girl
Her momma’s world
She deserves respect
That’s what she’ll get
Now ain’t it son?
Y’all run along and have a little fun
I’ll see you when you get back
Probably be up all night
Still cleanin’ this gun

Son, now y’all buckle up and have her back by – let’s say about nine…thirty.
Drive safe.

(By the way, Charlotte is still a great girl, a fabulous wife and terrific mom with a wonderful husband who started out as a medic in Iraq and is now a doctor in South Carolina. And yes, even though he was younger and tougher than me, I DID get him the “broken knees” speech as soon as I met him the first time!)

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This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Susan E. Daigle

    My husband told my daughter’s boyfriends that “he wasn’t afraid to go back to prison”!!! It was her future husband who got the joke.

  2. Thomas M Govern

    Obviously proud and greatly blessed! You and Janet deserve all the blessings for your efforts to spread and defend the Faith.

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