There's a man with a bottle on the other side of town
Two young lovers with their bodies on fire
In the hill valley home there's a feeble old man
'Cause deep down he knows
Fightin' back tears and forcin' a smile
Now he's a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go
'Cause deep down he knows
His heart is tellin' him
Oh, a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go
Lord, it ain't sunk in that she ain't comin' home
And he's holdin' on to a fragile old hand
To hang on for dear life
Swimmin' with the memories that he can't drown
There's a daddy walkin' his daughter down the aisle
Leavin' innocence there on the bank by their clothes
Achin' to swim that river of desire
To hang on for dear life
Leavin' innocence there on the bank by their clothes
A man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go
Oh for 22 years he's watched her grow
A man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go
Oh, a man holdin' on to a woman lettin' go
She's lettin' go for good this time
And the angels are comin' to carry her home
His heart is tellin' him
She's lettin' go for good this time