I woke up crying late at night
When I was very young
I had dreamed my father
Had passed away and gone

My world revolved around him
I couldn't lie there anymore
So I made my way down the mirrored hall
And tapped upon his door

And I said "Daddy, I'm so afraid
How will I go on with you gone that way?
Don't want to cry anymore, so may I stay with you?"

And he said "That's my job
That's what I do
Everything I do is because of you
To keep you safe with me
That's my job you see"

Later we barely got along
This teenage boy and he
Most of the fights it seems
Were over different dreams
We each held for me

He wanted knowledge and learning
I wanted to fly out west
Said, "I could make it out there
If I just had the fare
I got half, will you loan me the rest?"

And I said "Daddy, I'm so afraid
There's no guarantee in the plans
I've made and if I should fail
Who will pay my way back home?"

And he said "That's my job
That's what I do
Everything I do is because of you
To keep you safe with me
That's my job you see"

Every person carves his spot
And fills the hole with light
And I pray someday I might
Light as bright as he

Woke up early one bright fall day
To spread the tragic news
After all my travel, I settled down
Within a mile or two

I make my living with words and rhyme
And all this tragedy
Should go into my head and out instead
As bits of poetry

But I say "Daddy, I'm so afraid
How will I go on with you gone this way?
How can I come up with a song to say I love you?"

That's my job, that's what I do
Everything I do is because of you
To keep you safe with me
That's my job you see
Everything I do is because of you
To keep you safe with me


Lyrics submitted by natespace

That's My Job Lyrics as written by Gary Burr

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

That's My Job song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

1 Comment

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    Ah. My favorite Conway song. Great.

    lobo81865on August 03, 2007   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Album art
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms. “Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.