Take good care of what you've got, my father said to me
As he puffed his pipe and Baby B, he dangled on his knee
Don't fool with fools who'll turn away
Keep all good company- oo hoo oo hoo
Take care of those you call your own, and keep good company

Soon I grew and happy too, my very good friends and me
We'd play all day with Sally J, the girl from number four
Very soon I begged her won't you keep me company
Oo hoo oo hoo, oo hoo oo hoo
Come marry me for evermore, we'll be good company

Now marriage is an institution sure
My wife and I our needs and nothing more
All my friends by a year by and by disappeared
But we're safe enough behind our door

I flourished in my humble trade, my reputation grew
The work devoured my waking hours
But when my time was through
Reward of all my efforts my own limited company

I hardly noticed Sally as we parted company
All through the years in the end it appears
There was never really anyone but me

Now I'm old I puff my pipe, but no one's there to see
I ponder on the lesson of my life's insanity
Take care of those you call your own and keep good company

Piesa se doreste a fi o ilustrare a premisei de la care porneste: "take care of those you call your own and keep good company". Tatal, trecut prin multe, isi sfatuieste, deci copilul, Baby B (Brian!) care i se leagana pe genunchi, sa aiba grija doar de oamenii dragi din viata lui. Bineinteles ca tanarul nici nu se va mai gandi la sfaturile parintesti si, in loc sa aiba grija de prietenii lui, ii lasa sa se indeparteze de el atunci cand se casatoreste ("all my friends by a year by and by disappeared"). Aceasta nu este totusi prea rau, atata vreme cat exista iubire ("we're safe enough behind our door"). Insa atunci cand tanarul intra in campul muncii si i se dedica pentru a-si inflori mica afacere, desi castiga si reputatie si prosperitate ("I flourished in my humble trade, my reputation grew, the work devoured my waking hours"), se indeparteaza si de sotie ("I hardly noticed Sally as we parted company"). De-abia la sfarsitul vietii isi da seama ca a ramas singur ("no one's there to see"), pentru ca a nesocotit sfaturile tatalui. Imaginea este in antiteza cu cea din prima strofa: daca tatal sau era fericit, inconjurat de copii ("as he puffed his pipe and Baby B, he dangled on his knee"), el, in acelasi decor, nu are pe nimeni ("now I'm old I puff my pipe, but no one's there to see"). Omul se gandeste ca, fiind nepasator cu cei dragi, a dus o viata de nebun ("I ponder on the lesson of my life's insanity") si lanseaza si el un apel catre generatiile viitoare ("take care of those you call your own and keep good company"), pe o muzica dinamica, cu un ritm rapid marcat de baterie si o orchestratie originala, in care chitara este magistrala.

Inapoi la prezentare
Urmatoarea melodie: Bohemian Rhapsody