Was talking to my nephew’s son (my great nephew?) and he asked one of those questions that 5-year-olds ask. And since I didn’t have an answer, I gave him one of my favorite flippant answers: “If I knew I’d tell ya.”
His father – my nephew – was sitting right next to us and heard this exchange. And being a quipper himself (we’re a family of quippers) he said “sounds like a good song”, with arched eyebrows and a knowing look.
I agreed with him, then forgot about it. Until later, when I was working with a new groove and needed lyrics to hang in it.
Though the gist of the original quote was a bit sarcastic and self-deprecating, the idea of passing on your knowledge to another person – and that person was important to you – was suddenly very impactful. To me anyway.
Dropping Wednesday, 9-23-26, check out the lyrics (below) and presave here if you want first dibs!
If I Knew Everything
I can’t get you all you want
And I can’t get you a corvette
And I can’t buy you a big house
And you don’t have to marry a brunette
If I knew everything
I’d tell you all I know
If I knew everywhere
I’d tell you where to go
And if I knew everyone
You’d still be my hero
I can’t get you in Coachella
And I can’t get you in backstage
And I don’t know Justin Bieber
And I can’t introduce you to Jimmy Page
If I knew everything
I’d tell you all I know
If I knew everywhere
I’d tell you where to go
And if I knew everyone
You’d still be my hero
I can’t save you from the law
But I might can get you outta jail
And I can’t keep you outta court
But I might have enough to throw bail
I can’t save you from your friends
And I can’t keep you home at night
And I can’t make you go to church
And I can’t force you to do right
If I knew everything
I’d tell you all I know
If I knew everywhere
I’d tell you where to go
And if I knew everyone
You’d still be my hero
If I knew everything
I’d tell you all I know
If I knew everywhere
I’d tell you where to go
And if I knew everyone
You’d still be my hero