I was just a barefoot kid in the yard one day
Watchin’ Daddy work while the clouds rolled gray
Sun on the hills and the sawdust flew
I said, Daddy, I wanna be a man like you
He laughed through a beard full of coal dust grit
Tappin’ that old tobacco tin a bit
Said, Boy you ain’t gonna like this one
I said, Don’t matter, I wanna be one
He looked at me like a man who knew
Some lessons only life walks you through
First, learn to spit, son
Before you try to walk where the hard men’ve done
Life’ll knock you flat if you run too quick
Pride goes down when the road gets slick
If you wanna stand where the strong men sit
First learn the small things
Son, first learn to spit
Grabbed a pinch like I’d seen him do
Tucked it in my lip like the grown men do
Walked ’round puffed up ten feet tall
Like I’d grown ten years in a minute at all
But Daddy turned and his smile went thin
Said, Boy you’re lookin’ mighty pale ’round the chin
Then my stomach rolled and my knees got weak
Next thing I know I’m feedin’ the creek
There I was by that old oak root
Learnin’ pride don’t always suit
First, learn to spit, son
Before you try to run where the big men run
If you don’t know how the road bends round
You’ll hit that dirt and kiss the ground
If you wanna stand where the strong men sit
First learn the small things
Son, first learn to spit
Daddy helped me up, brushed off the dirt
Said, Boy, bein’ a man ain’t chew and hurt
Hold doors open for the ladies you meet
Say ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’ to folks on the street
Say please and thank you, work with your hands
Fix what you can, do the best you can
And don’t come home complainin’ ’bout the day you had
That won’t make tomorrow one bit less bad
Be steady, be humble, keep your word true
Stand up for folks that can’t like you
A man ain’t measured by bark and grit
Sometimes he’s measured by the little bits
And I swear that lesson still sticks with me
Like those mountain roots in an old oak tree
First, learn to spit, son
Before you try to walk where the old men’ve done
Life gets rough and the road gets steep
But a good man stands when the hills run deep
If you wanna stand where the strong men sit
First learn the small things
Son, first learn to spit
Now every now and then, when my boy gets bold
Tryin’ to act all big and walk ‘fore he’s grown
I grin like Daddy did a bit
And say
Son, You gotta first learn to spit
“First, Learn To Spit” is track number 4 on the Thumper Barrel album, Stump Water.
Track: First, Learn To Spit
Album: Stump Water
ISRC: QZTAW2631103
ASCAP: 935304151