Did You Ever   

© 2002 Tracy Comer
For my father, who died in 1988

[Key: D modal, Tracy plays with guitar tuned DADGBD and no capo]

Sorting photographs, I looked for one of you to frame
I chose the one of us dressed up on my wedding day
Oh, you seemed so proud to travel far to give away
Your youngest daughter, but I never was yours anyway

But now the years and tears have passed, and now that you have died,
I can finally feel the anger I've held back all this time

Did you ever really feel love, or just emptiness inside?
Did you ever even know us, or did you ever care to try?
And did you ever stop to wonder what you'd miss
If you traded family for a new kiss?
So tell me, did you ever really love, and if you did, how will I ever know?

Ringing telephone… rare surprise when it was you
Crazy fantasy that you would come to our rescue
Funny now to think that all we needed rescue from
Was the fantasy that you had done no wrong

Well, you walked away from pain and moved on to create more
You left a trail of turmoil behind every closing door

Did you ever really feel love, or just emptiness inside?
Did you ever even know us, or did you ever care to try?
And did you ever stop to wonder what you'd miss
When you traded family for a new kiss?
So tell me,did you ever really love, and if you did, how will I ever know?