He watched the Bronco leave the driveway
The day after he turned ten
His dad said the van's booked up through Sunday
Ricky never saw him again
His mother made excuses
His brother got his wish
Ricky just stared at the posters in his bedroom
And started talkin' to his fish
And whenever he finally could untie these knots
He didn't get too far
The stronger the telescope
The more stars there are
There were reports within the family
There were rumors at his school
Deadbeat dad got stuck in Calgary
Cleanin' swimmin' pools
But Ricky had some questions
He couldn't get it through his head
How a father so drunk on his own destiny
Could end up like this instead?
The boy could feel himself get older
With each shot in the dark
The stronger the telescope
The more stars there are
The stronger the telescope
The more stars there are
Now Ricky's in a trailer outside Albany
He spends all his nights alone
With a penchant for conspiracy
And his take on methadone
But he hasn't been forgotten
His hometown speculates
If the world had just got to him too early
Or if it got to him too late
And the more time they give each explanation
The more it comes apart
The stronger the telescope
The more stars there are
The stronger the telescope
The more stars there are