The Days That We Die

On the basis of the way things are with my children
 I doubt that the length of the acquaintance necessarily makes it easier for loved ones to know you better
 Or for you to know them
 The past keeps getting in the way
 My children are all grown now, deep into the complications of their adult lives
 But where I'm concerned
 I'd bet the ghostly parent of earlier Christmases keeps popping up for them when my number is punched
 The old record, complete with stored outrage and disappointment
 Comes up on the computer screen and a natural reserve, or caution
 Built up for years, takes over
 And why shouldn't it?
 We share a big chunk of the past, and there were awful bumps
 I've gotten used to the fact that they have their own versions of how things were
 They're entitled, even if I recall some things differently
 No, it's not that I want to set the record straight
 That could make matters worse
 But change is possible
 And I'd like to begin work on some sort of updated real line model for our connection
 Something that will reflect not so much what we all were
 Or think we were, but what we have become
 ♪
 You'll never change, neither will I
 We'll stay the same 'til the days that we die
 I'll never win, neither will you
 So what in this world are we gonna do
 People hate change, they make a fuss
 They stay the same, people like us
 Folks wanna win, when they can choose
 But more important than that, folks don't wanna lose
 ♪
 When did it start? How did it go wrong?
 Why in this world can't we get along?
 Each victory should be good news
 But when I have to win you're the one that I lose
 I wanna change, but I don't know how
 We need to change though, I know that now
 It's sad but it's true and I have to say
 That the days that we die aren't that far away
 You'll never change, neither will I
 We'll stay the same 'til the days that we die
 I'll never win, neither will you
 So what in this world are we gonna do?