December 4, 2011 by Richard Manzini
There was a little boy once upon a time
Who in spite of his young age and small size knew his mind
For every copper penny and clover he would find
Make a wish for better days, the end of hard times
For no more cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
His clothes were always clean
His face was always scrubbed
There was food on the table, enough to fill him up
His house was full of life, his house was full of love
But when winter days arrived there was never
Money enough to shod his cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
He grew up to be a worker determined to succeed
He made a life for himself
Free from worldly wants or needs
But with nobody to share the life he’d made
No body to keep him warm at night
When he’d go to sleep – he’d sleep alone
With his cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
One night he walked the streets
Looking to the heavens above
Searching for a shooting star, a benevolent God
When a woman passing by brushed his arm
He turned and found love
He then wished for the courage to ask this stranger who she was
To not have cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
One year later he stood beside her
He vowed “I’ll give you everything you want”
She said “I’ll take some love from my heart to keep your body warm”
“You won’t have cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet”
He thought she’d like the party life
And want the finer things
So he promised more than he could buy
And he’d promise her the sun and moon
To not have cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
He worked day and night his fingers to the bone
His worried mind guilty conscience drive him on
He can give her what she needs
He wants to give her what he thinks she wants
Her sad-eyed face
His empty pockets drive him on
And his cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
He’d struggled all his life to be an honest man
Proud that the dirt on his palms was the soil of the land
But some guys he knew from high school days
Said they had a plan to get rich quick
And they could count him in
If he don’t have cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
He thought about their offer
Accepted it without qualms
Dreamt about the life he’d buy
The comfort that would come
Without cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet
He decided to drive the car
He decided to carry the gun
To take the biggest risk of all
To prove his loyalty to his friends
He decided to tell his wife
Things would soon turn around
He said “the little boy is dead, a man stands with you now
Without cold feet – cold, cold, cold, cold feet”
He thought he’d set his clock right
He thought he’d read his watch
He left in such a hurry
He didn’t think to wish for luck
Makes no difference if you’re early
No difference if you’re late
When you’re out of time
The flowers have been laid
You’re six feet underground
With cold feet – cold,cold cold, cold feet.
By: Tracy Chapman.
