Текст песни The Days That We Die - Loudon Wainwright III

On the basis of the way things are with my children
I doubt that the length of the acquaintance necessarily makes it easier for loved ones to know you better
Or for you to know them
The past keeps getting in the way
My children are all grown now, deep into the complications of their adult lives
But where I'm concerned
I'd bet the ghostly parent of earlier Christmases keeps popping up for them when my number is punched
The old record, complete with stored outrage and disappointment
Comes up on the computer screen and a natural reserve, or caution
Built up for years, takes over
And why shouldn't it?

We share a big chunk of the past, and there were awful bumps
I've gotten used to the fact that they have their own versions of how things were
They're entitled, even if I recall some things differently
No, it's not that I want to set the record straight
That could make matters worse
But change is possible
And I'd like to begin work on some sort of updated real line model for our connection
Something that will reflect not so much what we all were
Or think we were, but what we have become

You'll never change, neither will I
We'll stay the same 'til the days that we die
I'll never win, neither will you
So what in this world are we gonna do

People hate change, they make a fuss
They stay the same, people like us
Folks wanna win, when they can choose
But more important than that, folks don't wanna lose

When did it start? How did it go wrong?
Why in this world can't we get along?
Each victory should be good news
But when I have to win you're the one that I lose

I wanna change, but I don't know how
We need to change though, I know that now
It's sad but it's true and I have to say
That the days that we die aren't that far away

You'll never change, neither will I
We'll stay the same 'til the days that we die
I'll never win, neither will you
So what in this world are we gonna do?