You Think You Know Somebody

Todd Snider

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

Jackie used to live three blocks away from me
We used to throw the baseball
And we'd climb his old oak tree
You know we would sneak his old man's cigarettes
Behind the picket fence
We swore that we would always be best of friends
We used to sit out on the curb
And talk on summer nights
Until Jackie's dad would call 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
Drank black label beer
And we would listen to the Stones
With all of our old friends
Maybe sneak a 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 out me
Buddy I'll be all right
We went off to college
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
Well he'd say that he was coming
But Jackie never came

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

Well the night that he got married
Well I was his best man
He's moved back to town
And now we're 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 sit out and talk at night
Until Jackie calls for his boy
And then he takes off like a light
Last night I saw the flashing lights
I quickly ran outside
A neighbor lady told me
That Jackie's youngest boy had died
And I was shocked to see the cops
Had Jackie handcuffed in the car
'Til this morning's paper told me
That Jackie had 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