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bryan benner - the ballad of poppy ben lyrics

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born in pennsylvania 1925
his mother’s only child, blonde hair and blue eye
he grew up quick past six feet tall, built to play football
on his back the mortar strapped, they sent him off to war

before he left, he fell in love, much to his surprise
she tutored him in french, he said, a subject he despised
and though they spoke of nouns and verbs, neither one could hide
they could see their future children in each other’s eyes

his name was marlon eb benner junior
a soldier and a businessman
he was a husband and a father and a friend
but to me, he was poppy ben

he went backpacking through europe as many young men do
except instad of eurorail he went with his platoon
no guitar on his shoulder, just a shovel and a gun
from stuttgart down to switzerland, each bl++dy mile won

he didn’t speak so often of his time back in the war
but i’ve seen the medals on the walls, the pistols in the drawer
he said he learned to yodel then, somewhere in the alps (yodeliti)
never much the diplomat, he still called the germans krauts

his name was marlon eb benner junior
a hunter and a fisherman
he was a husband and a father and a friend
but to me, he was poppy ben
throughout the years of war he knew one thought had saved his life
as soon as he got back, he asked her to be his wife
and though the times had changed a man, the war had made him mean
with saintly loving kindness, she became my grandma jean

well back to work and back to school he finally had the time
he said he went to darthmouth on a grateful nation’s dime
he majored in psychology, but when he was done
he became a businessman and started having sons

his name was marlon eb benner junior
sometimes we called him goddamit ben
he was a husband and a father and a friend
but to me, he was poppy ben

and though they had four children, only three of them survived
they lost their daughter barbara before young bruce arrived
and though ben seldom spoke of her, the pain lived in his eyes
and his love could turn to anger at the things he’d been deprived

but the boys grew up and all left home to find lives of their own
leaving ben and jean to find some quiet on their own
so they moved to a golf course in the sweaty florida sun
and marlon worked his long game ’til he got a hole+in+one

his name was marlon eb benner junior
a scotch+on+the+rocks+while+golfing man
he was a husband and a father and a friend
but to me, he was poppy ben
they had lots of grandkids, their three sons did them proud
they enjoyed retirement with lots of kids around
big family reunions in the mountains or by the sea
i got awful lucky, one of those grandkids was me

i don’t know how it’s possible but when i was twelve years old
poppy ben could see the music growing in my soul
he helped send me to europe where i learned to sing and play
without him i don’t think i’d be the man i am today

his name was marlon eb benner junior
and his full life has finally come to end
he was a husband and a father and a friend
but to me, he was poppy ben

- bryan benner lyrics

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