Lyrics
He was born with calloused hands
And a heart made outta steel
Built a life on quiet strength
And love you could feel
Raised three girls with gentle pride
One became my mom
Held her hand through every storm
Taught her to be strong
He kissed my grandma every morning
Like it was their first time
Sixty-five years
Not a single goodbye
From Pearl Harbor to Korea
To his old front porch
He fought for his country
Then fought for our hearts
And I still hear his voice
In the wind through the pines
Sayin’, “grandson, do right
And you’ll sleep good at night”
He showed me what it means
To be steady and true
With a laugh in his soul
And Navy in his blue
Yeah, I carry his name
And I carry his trust
He ain’t just a memory
He’s the core of us
Taught me how to tie a knot
And how to stand tall
Put others first
Even when I’d fall
Said, “Being a man
Ain’t about being tough
It’s love, sacrifice
And doing enough”
So I signed the line
Like he did back in the day
Joined the Navy
Felt his spirit guide my way
I see him in the mirror
I hear him in my kids
And every quiet moment
When the day is done
Yeah, I still hear his voice
In the wind through the pines
Sayin’, “grandson, do right
And you’ll sleep good at night”
He showed me what it means
To be steady and true
With a laugh in his soul
And Navy in his blue
Yeah, I carry his name
And I carry his trust
He ain’t just a memory
He’s the core of us
We gather ’round the table
Leave a chair at the end
Raise a glass for the man
We all call friend
The rock, the guide
The one we still lean on
Though his body’s gone
His light carries on
So I’ll keep hearing his voice
In the wind through the pines
And I’ll live every word
Like it’s etched in time
He showed me how to be
A husband, a father, a man
In the silence
I still reach for his hand
Yeah, I carry his name
And I carry his trust
He’s not just a memory
He’s the core of us
Yeah, he’s the core of us…
Still holding us up…
Still teaching me love…
He’s the core of us.