summers running wild, we were free
like a gang of squirrels in the trees
mischievous, a little devious
that came easiest in Shrewsbury

one brother's playing drums downstairs
another's in China studying there
the last is working a big boy job
and my father's reading in his dusty chair

he liked the read those books
about the battles won with calvary
an affection for the guns they used
to fight for our country's liberty

but the greatest gift he shared with me
was a fishing rod and week
to spend at every summer's end
down at our favorite Missouri stream

wading in the waters with my brothers and my father, I'm a kid again
where the summer's always breezy and the river runs easily along
though the years have come and passed, it's better that in peace you rest, that's my point of view
but below the bridge at Bennett, springs to life the memory of you

at one point in your life you had it all
wife, kids, and job as a politician
good position with the best intentions

but an accident and attitude aged you rather fast
without the grace to green the present, left you withered in the past
but if ever there was a thing that you did so faithfully
was to drive us at every summer's end down to our favorite Missouri stream

CHORUS

the last few years were getting rough, you were hard to be around
and one Sonny day in February, your body let you down

and though beautiful were all the stories told at that final gathering
the place in my heart you'll always be is below the bridge at our favorite stream

wading in the waters with my brothers and my father, I'm a kid again
where the summer's always breezy and the river runs easily along
though the years have come and passed, it's better that you're gone at last, that's my point of view
but below the bridge at Bennett, springs to life the memory of you

and below the bridge at Bennett, I'll always think of you