The story behind this song
The toolbox is still in the hallway, smelling of oil and rain. He never said the word for love; he just got the wrenches out and showed up on time. A handshake with the eyes up. A lost Saturday spent fixing a neighbor's dying mower. There wasn't any money in it, but it turned out to be the better end of the deal.
The lessons keep surfacing now that he's gone — his patience coming out of your own mouth, one whiff of WD-40 and he's right there at your shoulder.
For the kid who realizes too late: every time he said hand me that wrench, he was reading you the will.
Lyrics
Your toolbox is still in the hallway
It still smells like oil and rain
I keep finding you in my hands
It still smells like oil and rain
I keep finding you in my hands
You'd say, look a man in the eye, son, when you shake
A promise isn't words — it's showing up on time
I watched you lose a Saturday to a neighbor's dying mower
You never said the word for love, you just got the wrenches out
A promise isn't words — it's showing up on time
I watched you lose a Saturday to a neighbor's dying mower
You never said the word for love, you just got the wrenches out
They ask me what you left behind
Dad, I tell them the truth
Dad, I tell them the truth
Everything you taught me — I carry it out loud
A handshake with my eyes up, a promise kept somehow
There wasn't any money, Dad, but I got the better end
You were reading me the will my whole life
Every time you said, hand me that wrench
A handshake with my eyes up, a promise kept somehow
There wasn't any money, Dad, but I got the better end
You were reading me the will my whole life
Every time you said, hand me that wrench
Now my boy holds the flashlight like I held it for you
I hear your patience coming out of my own mouth
Fix the thing, don't curse it — the garage radio low
One whiff of WD-40 and you're standing at my shoulder
I hear your patience coming out of my own mouth
Fix the thing, don't curse it — the garage radio low
One whiff of WD-40 and you're standing at my shoulder
He asks me how I know this stuff
I say, somebody good showed me
I say, somebody good showed me
Everything you taught me — I carry it out loud
A handshake with my eyes up, a promise kept somehow
There wasn't any money, Dad, but I got the better end
You were reading me the will my whole life
Every time you said, hand me that wrench
A handshake with my eyes up, a promise kept somehow
There wasn't any money, Dad, but I got the better end
You were reading me the will my whole life
Every time you said, hand me that wrench
You always tapped the hood twice when a job was finally done
Someday my son will teach his son, and you'll be in that room
Three generations deep, still working off your blueprint
I tap the hood twice for you — but this job's never done
Someday my son will teach his son, and you'll be in that room
Three generations deep, still working off your blueprint
I tap the hood twice for you — but this job's never done
Everything you taught me — I carry it out loud
A handshake with my eyes up, a promise kept somehow
There wasn't any money, Dad, but I got the better end
You were reading me the will my whole life
Every time you said, hand me that wrench
A handshake with my eyes up, a promise kept somehow
There wasn't any money, Dad, but I got the better end
You were reading me the will my whole life
Every time you said, hand me that wrench
Your toolbox stays in the hallway
My hands know what to do
My hands know what to do
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