You fold his hands and smooth his tie

You gently lift his chin

Were you really so blind

And unkind to him?

Can't help the itch to touch, to kiss

To hold him once again

Now to close his eyes

Never open them

A shadow past, a shadow past

Yearning, yearning for the fool

It called a home

All things he never did

Are left behind

All the things his mama

Wished he'd bear in mind

And all his dad had hoped he'd know

The talks you never had

The Saturdays you never spent

All the grown-up places

You never went

And all of the crying

You wouldn't understand

You just let him cry

Make a man out of him

A shadow past, a shadow past

Yearning, yearning for the fool

It called a home

All things he ever wished

Are left behind

All the things his mama

Did to make him mind

And how his dad had hoped he'd grow

All things he ever lived

Are left behind

All the fears that ever

Flickered through his mind

All the sadness that

He'd come to own

A shadow past, a shadow past

Yearning, yearning for the fool

It called a home

And whistles through the ghosts

Still left behind

(it) whistles through the ghosts

Still left behind

It whistles through the ghosts

Still left behind

Oh