I'd move away from home and had my first apartment. To keep expenses down, I looked for a roommate. A friend of a friend needed a place. So, he was in. He was separated from his wife and had an eight(ish) year old daughter. She came over and looked so lost, confused and a little scared.
There's a floating keyboard part in this song that I had not written let alone recorded -- but there it was almost every time I played it back. So, I decided I'd better record it so you could hear it too. I mean, the song was trying to tell me something and who was I to argue?
Christie Ann, it doesn't seem fair.
Yes, your daddy's gone away;
Left your mother to care for herself
And who'll be watching over her,
Keeping the strong woman strong,
Away from others who'd do her wrong?
Now, you wake up nights crying,
Wondering where he's gone
And why no one will help bring your daddy home.
Emptiness will find him as the days go on and on.
He'll think it's finally over. Then, wake up calling your name.
You don't care who's right or wrong or who is to blame.
The look on your face says the world is out of place
And nothing stays the same.
Christie Ann, there you are in between,
Living life with broken rules.
This means you must take a side
And so you hear it all from mom who has
All the time to tell you why.
So, you think just like her just to survive.
You still wake up nights crying,
Wondering why he's gone
And why your mom won't help bring your daddy home.
Loneliness will find her as the days go on and on.
She may find another but that won't change your name.
You don't care who's right or wrong or who is to blame.
So, you pretend it's OK but inside you say
You'll never do the same.
Christie Ann, what can anyone say?
Little is going to help
Until your parents recall the vow they made.
In the meantime there you are,
Continuing to pay for a crime for which you've done no wrong.
And I hope you stay up nights wondering
What made things go wrong
And how you'll help the world keep the family strong,
Keep daddies home.
Guiltiness will find them as the days go on and on.
They'll think it's finally over. Then, wake up calling your name.
You don't care who's right or wrong or who is to blame.
The look on your face says the world's out of place
And nothing stays the same.