This song has a truly deep effect on me. While I can't relate with the "family" aspect of it, the overall meaning is not lost on me. I think the opening "Inside/Outside" comparison is
brilliant. Even though this is a life affirming song, it always depresses me. My entire life people have told me that I'll be a failure and for the most part, I've believed them, but part of
me continues to fight, if only for the reason to prove them wrong. Life can be sweet, but not if you let the discouraging people get to you. We make our own destiny's and like the song says:
"Be thankful, because before you know it. It will be over"
It's a pity It's a crying shame He pulled you down again How painful it must be To bruise so easily Inside It's a pity It's a downright crime It happens all the time You wanna stay little daddy's girl You wanna hide from the vicious world Outside Don't cry, you know the tears will do no good So dry your eyes Your daddy, he's the iron man Battle ship wrecked on dry land Your mama, she's a bitter bride She'll never be satisfied You know, and that's not right But don't cry You know the tears will do no good So dry your eyes They told you life is hard Misery from the start, it's dull It's slow, it's painful But I tell you life is sweet In spite of the misery There's so much more, be grateful Well, who do you believe Who will you listen to, who will it be Because it's high time that you decide In your own mind I've tried to comfort you I tried to tell you to be patient That they are blind and they can't see Fortune gonna come one day It all gonna fade away Your daddy the war machine And your mama the long and suffering Prisoner of what she can not see For they told you life is hard Misery from the start, it's dull, It's slow, it's painful But I tell you life is sweet In spite of the misery There's so much more, be grateful So who will you believe Who will you listen to Who will it be Because it's high time that you decide It's time to make up your own Your own state of mind They told you life is long Be thankful when it's done Don't ask for more, be grateful But I tell you life is short Be thankful, because before you know it It will be over Because life is sweet Life is all so very short Life is sweet And life is all so very short Life is sweet Life is sweet
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