Father Time

Written by: 
J. Martyn
9 Sep 1991

I saw you, yesterday,
Walking down my line.
I says: I know you - just get away,
Your name is Father Time.

Time I hate, the time I love,
Time I spent all over;
Time I wasted, the time I spent,
Time I've got to run away.

I saw you, yesterday,
Running down my track.
I saw you just yesterday,
I could feel you at my back.

With that long black coat ant that sharp scythe,
For cutting them all down;
Your long black coat, a skull and a scythe,
Cutting them all through town.

I saw you, just yesterday,
You don't frighten me.
I see you every day,
You still don't frighten me.

One day I'll go,
And you'll have no choice but to come with me.
The next day I'll come;
The very next day I'll have to go,
I tell you, see.

You're no herb from my garden,
You're no rosemary.
And you are no sage,
You know your name,
I call you Father Time.

I saw you yesterday,
I can still see you now;
You're living in my face, and in my breakfast,
I can see you now.

You're just the time I wasted, the time I spent,
You're the - time I'm left to run with.
- What time is this?
Even I make up time - I do, I'm the time.
You can call yourself daddy,
But you're no father of mine.

Yes I saw you yesterday,
You didn't frighten me at all.
I saw you just yesterday,
You didn't frighten me at all.

With that long cloak and that silly little skull,
The stupid scythe and all your jive;
I never could see you, I can't see you now,
Not as long as I'm alive.

One day, I'll go,
The very next day you'll come;
One day you'll come,
The very next time I'll go.

I know a friend of mine, a friend of mine was watching,
Told me the time by the clock.
I saw him last night, down by the graveyard,
Holding on to a rock.

I said: I saw you yesterday,
I saw you, Father Time.
I said: go away, go away, go away, go away, go away,
I know you're Father Time - run it down now.

I said: every minute, every second, every day of my life,
I meet you in the mirror.
Every time - look at each wrinkle,
I know I've got a sheriff coming.

Sure I saw you, sure as time;
Sure as clock, sure is fine.
I know that mother's no father,
'Cause they call you Father Time.

Coming through the door
With a black cloak
And a nasty sharp instrument.
That nasty sharp instrument,
That nasty sharp instrument.
I won't go 'till I'm ready and you can't catch me,
I won't go 'till I'm ready.

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