House By The Creek

Mama lies on the couch in her old wedding gown
She turned pale long before the carnival had left town
She stares at the front porch on the outlook for dad
'Don't worry, I'll be back in a week"
Is the last thing he said
We all knew he gambled in the city and lost
Money we didn't have
It must have been a line that he crossed
It's been over a year instead of a week
Here in our house
Our house by the creek

Me and my family live in the Netherlands
In the house daddy built with his bare hands
My younger brother Jimmy is playing outside
With his cap gun he tries to shoot planes from the sky
In his chair by the window sits Uncle Fred
Since he's back from the war
There ain't a word he has said
Freckles, my sister, she passed away, Sir
Sometimes in my dreams I catch up with Dad and with her
What we end up with is not what we seek
Here in our house
Our house by the creek

My name is Louie, it's Louie, alright
I play Dad's old accordion all day and all night
I just turned II, so I'm still a kid
But when I grow up, I want to find out what Daddy did
Mister, believe me, I was taught boys don't cry
And that the town where you're born is where you'll probably die

What did God want to show when He created Man weak
We don't understand
In our house by the creek