Iron Burns
Music & Lyrics by David Greathouse
© 1989, Sourdough Music, ASCAP

Grandpa was a blacksmith like his daddy's father was
And me, I've watched the master work and I have worn his gloves
The man has long since passed away but his artistry remains
And on the backside of my memory
I can hear my grandpa say

"Iron burns. Don't you leave it lay too long
Temper it with care boy and it'll turn out strong
There's a special feel you gotta find to make it turn out right
My papa never found it, but sonny you just might"

Well his daddy was a hard man, overcome with strife
Left him and his mama and he later took his life
"Lost his iron to the flames" ol' grandpa used to say
And the day he died I swore that I would never be that way

"Cause "Iron burns. Don't you leave it lay too long
Temper it with care boy and it!ll turn out strong"
There's a special feel you gotta find, a special gift of sight
Yeah, grandpa was a wise old man and I think he said it right

Now a horseshoe grandpa made hangs above my door outside
And a belt he burned my initials in holds my britches up with pride
But the craftsman done his finest work on the boy he called my pa
And when I see his iron in the fire I know what grandpa saw

But "Iron burns. Don't you leave it lay too long
Temper it with care boy and it'll turn out strong"
And like the metal glowing in the coals
He helped his boy to grow
And his boy became my daddy, and so the story goes
Yeah his boy became my daddy, and so the story goes