From the recording I Can Do It By Myself

Our kids are all different. It’s amazing how unique each of them are. You’d think my boys would be just small copies of me. But they aren’t. They are who they are.
I don’t really have "a favorite" child. But if I had to pick the one who keeps us hopping, it would be Jude.
Jude is completely and uniquely, his own. And although we talk a lot about all the things he does, he's unbelievably loving and tenderhearted. I'd say he's probably the most affectionate of all the kids, and is very, very creative..
He’s also the extrovert. He’s the talker. (Lately, the very LOUD talker.) Jude is also extremely independent. And he’s the one who makes sure we all know that, now at the ripe old age of four, he’s old enough to be doing things on his own. Everything from washing his own hair to rebuilding a carburetor. He can do it now, because he’s four.
So pulling from our never-a-dull-moment son…I decided to write a song about it. I Can Do It By Myself is Jude’s song, if I ever wrote one. And being so, it was only natural to get him on there with me. So the little boy you hear candidly popping up during the song, that’s Jude. He’s VERY proud of his recording. And he especially likes the line about underwear. :)
There’s a part of me that thinks the kids will look back on all my recording with them, and have cool and fond memories. And a part of me hopes to give something to them that will outlast me. But mostly…I just like it. It's such an awesome feeling, writing a song, recording it, mixing...doing all the musical "stuff" that you do to a song, and knowing (or at least hoping) the kids will laugh or sing or dance or whatever freaky stuff they do, when they hear it in the car. It's my great escape, back to what's really real, and one of the reasons I think I'll always continue to write and record.
I have the coolest kids and they can totally be a blast…when they aren’t running us crazy, of course. They deserve so much more than what we have, and so much more than what I am as a dad. But I do thank God for letting me be a part of the chaos. I hope Jude will always look back at this song as one of the fun, cool things we did together. And I hope you dance, sing, raise the roof, shake the floors, and enjoy it when you listen! RF

Lyrics

------------------------------------------------------------I Can Do It By Myself Verse1Not long agoWhen I was only three,I'd have to stop and say"Daddy will you help me?"But now I'm biggerThan I ever was before.And I don't need to askFor help anymore. Cause... ChorusI can do it(I can) do it(I can) do it by myself.I can do it(I can) do it(I can) do it by myself.I'm getting biggerAnd I hope you can tell, (that)I can do it(I can) do itI can do it by myself. Yeah, yeah! Verse2I brush my teeth.And I comb my hair.I tie my shoesAnd I put on my underwear.I cross the streetAnd I can write my name.It won't be long before I'm doingAlmost anything. Chorus BridgeWhat can YOU do?I can shoot a watergun by myself.What can YOU do?I can draw a picture by myself.What can YOU do?I do jumping jacks by myself.What can YOU do?I can sing a song by myself. Chorus (2X) TagYeah, yeah, yeah!Yeah, yeah, yeah!Yeah, yeah, yeah!Yeah, yeah, yeah!Yeah, yeah, yeah!Yeah, yeah, yeah!Yeah, yeah, yeah!Doin’ it by myself.  Words & Music by Ricky Fitzpatrick. Copyright 2013 Ricky Fitzpatrick and Our Apple Valley Home Songs. Published 2013 by Pitch A Fitz Music Publishing (BMI). All rights reserved.