The Ballad of Danny Fine

Not too long ago, back about 1929 Was conceived a boy, name of Danny Fine Born on a Thursday, 24th of October A day the stock market turned stone-cold sober When the crash was over, five days later The Fine family fortune had totally cratered They'd lost all their wealth; Mr. Fine lost his job Mrs. Fine had a breakdown; she wept and sobbed Little Danny grew up in so horribly destitute His only clothing for weeks was his birthday suit His mother's milk dried up all-too-quickly Poor Danny became anemic and sickly... He struggled at home; he struggled at school He was undernourished; life was so cruel At age 15, he ran away from home Determined to turn things around, all alone He joined the Armed Forces, lied about his age Helped liberate Dachau and Auschwitz, turning a page Came to believe in himself in those heady days Danny had learned, "Where there's a will, there's a way." You may well guess Danny's now rich and/or famous And sure he's succeeded and is no ignoramus He's a regular guy with a wife and four kids Who just can't move past something he long ago did -- After leaving home, he did not return again A decision that's haunted him ever since then For no matter the good deeds he's done for others Danny Fine did not honor his father or mother So the lucky among you, whose parents are still living Honor them every moment; keep on giving and giving Because once they have both breathed their very last It has all been recorded; you can't change the past