I remember lookin' up to look up to him And I remember most the time he wasn't there I'd be waitin' at the door when he got home at night He'd pass me by to go pass out in his chair And I sing, 'Walk a little straighter, daddy You're swayin' side by side Your footsteps make me dizzy And no matter how I try I keep trippin' and stumblin' If you'd look down here you'd see Walk a little straighter, daddy You're leading me' He stumbled in the gym on graduation day And I couldn't help but feel so ashamed And I wasn't surprised a bit when he didn't stay He stumbled out before they called my name And I thought, 'Walk a little straighter, daddy Your swayin' side by side It's not just me who's watching You've caught everybody's eye And your trippin' and stumblin' And even though I've turned eighteen Walk a little straighter, daddy You're still leading me' The old man's still like he always was But I love him anyways If I've learned one thing from him It's my kids will never have to sing Walk a little straighter, daddy You're swayin' side by side Your footsteps make me dizzy And no matter how I try I keep trippin' an stumblin' If you'd look down here you'd see Walk a little straighter, daddy You're leading me Yeah, walk a little straighter, daddy You're leading me