When I was a young boy in Brooklyn
|
Going to public school
|
During recess in the concrete playground
|
They lined us up by twos
|
In alphabetical order, Reagan, Reed and Russo
|
I still remember the names
|
And stickball and stoopball
|
Were the only games that we played
|
And I wanted to be like my old man
|
I wanted to grow up just like my old man
|
I wanted to be like my old man
|
I wanted to dress like
|
I wanted to be just like
|
I wanted to act like my old man
|
I wanted to be like
|
I wanted to act like
|
I wanted to be just like my old man
|
|
And then like everyone else I started to grow
|
And I didn't want to be like my father anymore
|
I was sick if his bullying
|
And having to hide under a desk on the floor
|
And when he beat my mother
|
It made me so mad I could choke
|
And I didn't want to be like my old man
|
I didn't even want to look like my old man
|
I didn't even want to seem like my old man
|
|
A son watches his father
|
Being cruel to his mother
|
And makes a vow to return only when
|
He is so much richer
|
In every way so much bigger
|
That the old man will never hit anyone again
|
|
Like my old man [x4]
|
|
And can you believe what he said to me
|
He said, "Lou, act like a man"
|
Why don't you act just like a man
|
Act like your daddy
|
Act like a man
|
Why don't you act like a man
|
Like your old man
|
|
Like my old man
|
|
-----------------
|
My Old Man
|
| Lou Reed |
