Emily comes home from school,
Grabs onto her daddy's hand,
He says "Baby girl what's wrong with you?"
She says "Please don't make me go back there again"

She said "I wish there was some way to make them stop it"
So he drives down to
That principles office and says

"I didn't bring her up
So they could cut her down
I didn't bring her here
So they could shut her out
I live my whole damn life
To see that little girl smile
So why are tears pouring down
That sweet face?
She wasn't brought up that way"

Emily's home late again
He sees that boy drive away
Oh, but something is different this time,
She doesn't have too much to say
She said "He tried but
there's just some things I won't do"
And through the tears
She said "I couldn't do that to you"
And he said

"I didn't bring you up
So he could wear you down
Take that innocent heart
And turn it inside out
I live my whole damn life
To see my little girl's smile
So don't let nobody take that Away,
You weren't brought up that way"

The phone rings on a rainy night
Says "It's Officer Tate"
He said "Sir there's been an accident,
You better come down here right away,
A drunken driver missed an overpass.
And Emily, she's fading fast"

He says "God, I didn't bring her up
To watch them lay her down,
Nearly killed me today,
They put her own
Momma in the ground
Only thing that kept me alive,
Was that little girl's smile
So please don't take that away,
It won't be easy taking her today,
She wasn't brought up that way"

He stands over the hospital bed
Emily opens her eyes