Dad said he wanted a boy; held me like a bundle of joy,
These days he don't even smile, like I'm cramping his style,
"Son, it's not true, of course I love you, but the pressure thing's building again,"
Dad's gone AWOL: absent without leaving.

The rub of love,
The rub of love.

Dad's not talking at all, everything's making him mad,
I used to come running to him, now I'm learning to crawl,
"Son, get used to the cold, you'll soon have to face it alone...and please stop holding my hand, you're getting too old,"
Heard him, last night, say, "The boy's alright, but the father thing still doesn't fit; gotta get away for a while, gotta find out who I am."

The rub of love,
What was that vow you made?
The rub of love,
And what about the girl you wed?
She's working double shifts to keep us fed,
And that's the rub.

Dad says he sorted it out, got himself a better career,
Had himself a new baby boy, another bundle of joy,
Every other week, on visiting day, I get tolerated by his new wife,
I swear, if he ever really held me they'd have to pry me off with the jaws of life.

The rub of love,
The rub of love.

The rub of love,
What was that vow you made?
The rub of love,
Was I too much to bear?
Dad, do you even...even care?
That is the rub,
The rub of love,
What was that vow you made?
The rub of love,
Was I too much to bear?
Dad, do you even...even care?
That is the rub,
The rub of love,
What was that vow you made?
The rub of love,
Was I too much to bear?
Dad, do you even...even care?