I Grew Up On Rock and Roll

Daddy raised me on his left knee

bouncing to the rhythm of his rock and roll saviors

I grew up under a peach tree

and dancing in glass rooms

losing my head inside books 

that made me dream of being anything, 

as long as it was something grand

and in childhood fantasies

it seems easy 

to be a bird or a doctor or an astronaut 

or one of Daddy's rock and roll saviors

But under that peach tree

I said my first goodbye 

stepping blindly into life's first heartbreak

that is, reality's first confrontation

And she came early for me,

too early for me

watching those fantasies run 

through my hands

like sand,

it nearly destroyed my ability to dream again

but I was a dreamer then, 

and somehow I still am

Mama used to tell me "girl, get your feet on the ground"

but dreaming saved me, 

when I had nothing else to hold

Because when I'm dreaming, I'm free, free, free

when I'm dreaming, I'm free

And, baby, if I’m nothing else, I can be my dreams

because when I’m dreaming, I’m free, free, free

and if you or I accomplish nothing else in this life,

nothing worth noting in this life

I hope we die dreaming

I hope we can still dream

because what would we be without everything we dream? 

everything we hunger for, and everything we need?

we're just bodies, bodies with big dreams

wanting to be things

but is wanting enough when reality ties you down?

is it enough to hold on to when life gets cold? 

but baby, dreams deserve to be honored

Because when I'm dreaming, I'm free, free, free

when I'm dreaming, I'm free

And, baby, if I’m nothing else, I can be my dreams

because when I’m dreaming, I’m free, free, free

And growing up on rock and roll

makes for a hell of a woman

Daddy gave me that spirit

the spirit of a wild woman in me

he said "look here, darling, I'll take your hand,

I'm showing you, teaching you, 

but that wild woman is already in you"

And I was unafraid even as I was scathed

until I couldn't hear drums anymore

and those years without the drums

well, they nearly killed me

but when I found my own

I sang again 

and I sang my way back to him

spewing truth that some people didn't want to hear

but it's true, it's true

and if you don't like it

turn your rock and roll off

but don't take away my drums

Because when we’re dreaming, we’re free, free, free

when we’re dreaming, we’re free

And baby if we’re nothing else, we can be our dreams

because when we’re dreaming, we’re free, free, free

Daddy told me I could do anything

and I believed him

and I still do

I grew up under a peach tree
and dancing in glass rooms
I grew up inventing stories so good

I knew I could be anything

Daddy raised me on his left knee 

bouncing to the rhythm of his rock and roll saviors

And I'm still bouncing along, I'm still dreaming

I’m still dreaming, I’m gonna keep on dreaming