Checkmate

When he was young

His life just begun

He had the world in the palm of his hand

But soon he got older

And it slipped to his shoulder

And the drink became part of the plan

So he tried to get by

With the bottle right beside him

He cried Dad what was I thinkin?

Now he's drunk and alone

His house ain't no home

He's the man who will never be free

Cos he's sick and he's tired

And he's all out of fight

He's the man who will never be free

Now I was here singin

My songs as I do

I saw a man with a tear in his eye

He took a breath and approached

And it hurt when he spoke

He said you look like my son who just died

And he tried not to cry

While he stood right beside me

He tried to hide what he was thinking

Now he's lost and alone

And so far from home

He's the man who will never be free

He got a call on the phone

And then he was gone

He's the man who will never be free

Then a couple of days later

He wrote me a letter

On the back of a buffet menu

He said since I met ya

I been feeling so much better

Like the hole in my heart's been removed

And I cried while I read

Just what he had said

And I sing this song for Brian Furnance

He's a Slim Dusty fan

A coal mining man

He lives on the coast and loves fishing

And I know that it's sad

But your boy loved his dad

And he's up there above and he's wishing

Forever be free

Forever be free

Forever be free

Forever be free

When he was young

His life just begun

He had the world in the palm of his hand