madgirl

This morning I thought of these lyrics, and thought maybe Sting was not only singing about his father's disease and how he (Sting) dreamed he could rescue him, but also how alcoholism is such a sad legacy we leave our children if we don't choose to deal and heal.

Billy was born within sight of the shipyard
First son of a riveter's son
And Billy was raised as the ship grew a shadow
Her great hull would blot out the light of the sun

And six days a week he would watch his poor father
A working man live like a slave
He'd drink every night and he'd dream of a future,
Of money he never would save
And Billy would cry when he thought of the future

Soon came a day when the bottle was broken
They launched a great ship out to sea
He felt he'd been left on a desolate shore
To a future he desperately wanted to flee
What else was there for a riveter's son
A new ship to be built, new work to be done