[gorgeous piano, 12-string guitar and violin intro]

[verse]

Picking violets in the spring,

The smell of woods after a fallen rain,

The flapping sound of a flying kite,

Watching baby birds take their first flight.

[verse]

Calves stumbling on wobbling legs,

Cute little chicks hatched from eggs,

The smell of puppy tummies after they’re born,

Playing with kittens and a ball of yarn.

[verse]

Building my first school science project,

Doing petty chores that had no logic.

Playing my first transistor radio,

Turning the antenna to watch a TV show.

[chorus]

These are the memories of my past,

Memories that will always last.

While it’s true you won’t find them in my DNA,

They’re sealed in my mind where they’ll always stay.

[verse]

Climbing up high in our Mimosa tree,

Lookin’ out at the world, my sister and me.

Playing wiffle ball in our big backyard,

Frying fresh fish with a bucket of lard.

[verse]

Picking dew berries off the vine,

Getting bit my mosquitos every time.

Stung by a scorpion while digging potatoes,

White bread with sliced onions and tomatoes.

[verse]

Digging up roots from a sassafras tree,

Making hot tea for my sister and me.

Swinging high on a Gym-Dandy set,

Playing for hours with a ball and bat.

[chorus]

These are the memories of my past,

Memories that will always last.

While it’s true you won’t find them in my DNA,

They’re sealed in my mind where they’ll always stay.

[verse]

Afternoon swims at Reagan swimming hole,

Danny and Dale’s dives were brave and bold.

Shooting an apple with bow and arrow,

Damming up the creek where it was narrow.

[verse]

Sliding down the tin roof of our barn,

Shooting at crows while protecting our corn.

Thunderstorms turned our road to a creek,

Sugar and I wading and having a treat.

[verse]

Catching fish and hunting was my infatuation,

Drinking NeHi’s with Junior at his dad’s gas station.

Baseball with Russell and Pete in the summer,

When running roads with Guy . . . nothing was fun-er.

[chorus]

These are the memories of my past,

Memories that will always last.

While it’s true you won’t find them in my DNA,

They’re sealed in my mind where they’ll always stay.

[verse]

Play pool for quarters at Rosie’s Cafe,

Hot honey buns with butter another day,

Feedin’ the juke box until we were broke,

Riding bicycles home with a missing spoke.

[verse]

Have typing races with my buddy Charles,

All for fun without any quarrels.

Playing 21 and horse under rims with no net,

Flipping pennies to win another bet.

[verse]

Practicing with Danny for 4-H Club demos,

Hunting squirrels and running out of ammo.

Flirting with girls during a school noon recess,

Playing in a band and singing my best.