You Think You Know Somebody

(album: Songs For The Daily Planet - 1994)

I think you know somebody
You think they know you
I think you know somebody
But man, you never do

Jackie used to live three blocks away from me
We used to throw a baseball and they'd climb his old oak tree
And we would sneak his old man' s cigarettes behind the picket fence
Swore that we would always be the best of friends
We would sit out on the curb and talk on summer nights
Until Jackie's daddy called him, and he took off like a light

The Friday nights were all the same, our high school senior year
We hung out at the river, we drank Black Label beer
And we would listen to the stories with all of our old friends
Maybe sneak, toke or two down where the river bends
Well, I remember how I said I'd drive him home on Friday night
Well, he said, "Go on without me, buddy, I'll be alright"

We went off to college to start our Freshman year
Well, I went off to school about an hour away from here
But you know Jackie, he took off, went to college out of state
He used to call me all the time, he used to tell me it was great
He said, "I'm coming home for Christmas and I hope you'll do the same"
And we'd said that he was coming but Jackie never came

I think you know somebody
You think they know you
I think you know somebody
But man, he never do

Well, the night he got married, well, I was his best man
He's moved back to town and now neighbors again
I've since found myself a wife, so now I'm married too
Our families get together every Sunday afternoon
His boy and my boy, they'd sit out and talk out at night
Until Jackie calls for his boy, and he takes off like a light

Last night I saw the flashing lights, I quickly ran outside
The neighbor lady told me that Jackie's youngest boy died
And I was shocked to see the cops had Jackie handcuffed in the car
Until this morning's paper told me that Jackie'd gone too far
And now they're saying Jackie, he ain't the only one to blame
'Cause battered children, they almost always grow up to do the same

And I think you know somebody
You think they know you
I think you know somebody
But man, you never do