Mama please stop cryin'
I can't stand the sound
Your pain is painful and it's
Tearing me down

I hear glasses breaking
As I sit up in my bed
I told God you didn't mean
Those nasty things you said
You fight about money
About me and my brother
And this I come home to
This is my shelter

It ain't easy, growin' up in WW3
Never knowin' what love could be
You'll see, I don't want love to destroy me
Like it has done my family

Can we work it out
Can we be a family
I promise I'll be better
Mommy I'll do anything
Can we work it out
Can we be a family
I promise I'll be better
Daddy please don't leave

Daddy please stop yelling
I can't stand the sound
Make mama stop cryin'
'Cause I need you around
My mama she loves you
No matter what she says is true
I know that she hurts you
But remember I love you too!

I ran away today, ran from the noise
Ran away (ran away)
Don't wanna go back to that place
But don't have no choice, no way

It ain't easy, growin' up in WW3
Never knowin' what love could be
But I've seen, I don't want love to destroy me
Like it has done my family

In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let's play pretend, let's act like it
Comes naturally
I don't wanna have to split the holidays I don't want two addresses
I don't want a stepbrother anyway
And I don't want my mom to have to change her last name!

Mama'll be nicer
I'll be so much better
I'll tell my brother
I won't spill the milk at dinner
I'll be so much better
I'll do everything right
I'll be your little girl forever I'll go to sleep at night

Daddy don't leave... daddy don't leave

Little Earthquakes: yellow bird flying, get shot in the wing. good year for hunters and christmas parties. and i hate, and i hate, and i hate. and i hate elevator music, the way we fight. the way i'm left here silent.

CHORUS: ooh these little earthquakes. here we go again. oo ooh these little earthquakes. doesn't take much to rip us into pieces.

we danced in graveyards, with vampires until dawn. we laughed in the faces of kings, never afraid to burn. and i hate, and i hate, and i hate. and i hate disintegration watching us wither. black-winged roses that safely change their color...CHORUS

i can't reach you, can't reach you. give me life, give me pain, give me myself again.

Cooling: maybe i didn't like to hear; but i still can't believe speed racer is dead. so then i thought i'd make some plans. but fire thought she'd really rather be water instead. and peggy got a message for me from jesus. and i've heard every word that you have said. and i know that i have been driven like the snow.~but this is cooling faster than i can~so then love walked up to like. said i know that you don't like me much, let's go for a ride. this ocean is wrapped around that pineapple tree. and is you place in heaven worth giving up these kisses, yes these kisses ~but this is cooling faster than i can.~

Winter: snow can wait, i forgot my mittens. i wipe my nose, get my new boots on. i get a little warm in my heart when i think of winter. i put my hand in my father's glove. i run off where the drifts get deeper. sleeping beauty trips me with a frown. i hear a voice you must learn to stand up for yourself cause i can't always be around. He says...

CHORUS: when you gonna make up your mind, when you gonna love you as much as i do? when you gonna make up your mind, cause thing are gonna change so fast. all the white horse (are still in bed/have gone ahead). i tell you that i'll always want you near. you say that things change my dear.

boys get discovered as winter melts, floowers competing for the sun. years go by and i'm here still waiting, withering where some snowman was... mirror, mirror where's the crystal palace, but i only can see myself. skating around the truth who i am. but i know dad the ice is getting thin...CHORUS

hair is grey and the fires are burning. so many dreams on the shelf. you say i wanted you to be proud, i always wanted that myself...CHORUS

me and a gun: 5 am, friday morning, thruday night. far from sleep, i'm still up and drivin. can't go home, obviously. so i'll just change direction, cause they'll soon know where i live. and i wanna live. i got a full tank and some chips... it was me and a gun and a man on my back, and i sang "holy, holy" as he buttoned down his pants. you can laugh it's kinda funny things you think times like this. like i haven't seen BARBADOS, so i must get out of this. yes i wore a slinky red thing, does that mean i should spread for you, your friends, your father, mr. ed. ~it was me and a gun and a man on my back. but i haven't seen BARBADOS so i must get out of this~ and i know what this means. me and jesus few years back used to hang and he said. "it's your choice babe just remember, i don't think you'll be back in three days time, so you choose well." tell me what's right, is it my right to be on my stomanch of fred's seville.~it was me and a gun and a man on my back. but i haven't seen BARBADOS so i must get out of this.~and do you know CAROLINA where the biscuits are soft and sweet. these things go through your head, when there's a man on your back. your pushed flat on your stomach, it's not a classic cadillac.~ it was me and a gun and a man on my back. but i haven't seen BARBADOS, so i must get out of this.

Broken Wing:She loved him like he was the last man on earth. Gave him everything she ever had. He'd break her sprit down then come loving up on her. Give an little and take it back. She'd tell him about her dream, he'd just shoot 'em down. Lord he loved to make her cry. "You're crazy for believing you'll ever leave the ground." He said, "Only angels know how to fly." ~CHORUS: And with a broken wing she still sings. She keeps her eye on the sky. And with a broken wing, she carries her dreams. Man, you oughta see her fly.~One Sunday morning, she didn't go to church. He wondered why she didn't leave. He went up to the bedroom, found a note by the window, with curtains blowin' in the breeze~ CHORUS~ With a broken wing, she carries her dreams. Man, you oughta see her fly.

Goodbye Earl

Mary Ann and Wanda were The best of friends All through their high school days. Both members of the 4H club, Both active in the FFA. After graduation Mary Ann went out, Lookin' for a bright new world. Wanda looked all around this town And all she found was Earl.

Well, it wasn't two weeks After she got married that Wanda started gettin' abused, She put on dark glasses And long sleeve blouses And makeup to cover a bruise Well, she finally got the nerve To file for divorce. She let the law take it from there But, Earl walked right through That restraining order and Put her in intensive care.

Right away Mary Ann flew In from Atlanta On a red-eye, midnight flight She held Wanda's hand And they worked out a plan And it didn't take them Long to decide that Earl had to die

Goodbye Earl Those blackeyed peas They tasted alright to me, Earl You feelin' weak? Why don't you lay down and sleep, Earl Ain't it dark Wrapped up in that tarp, Earl

The cops came by To bring Earl in They searched the house High and low. Then they tipped their hats And said 'thank you, ladies' 'If you hear from him let us know' Well, the weeks went by And spring turned to summer And summer faded into fall And it turns out he Was a missing person who Nobody missed at all

So the girls bought some land At a roadside stand Out on highway 109 They sell Tennessee ham And strawberry jam And they don't lose Any sleep at night Cause Earl had to die

Goodnight, Earl We need a break Let's go out to the lake, Earl We'll pack a lunch And stuff you in the trunk, Earl Well, is that alright? Good, let's go for a ride, Earl Hey, well hey, hey, hey Aw, hey, hey, hey Well, hey, hey, hey

Only Women Bleed

Man's got his woman to take his seed~ He's got the power - oh~ She's got the need~ She spends her life through pleasing up her man~ She feeds him dinner or anything she can~ She cries alone at night too often~ He smokes and drinks and don't come home at all.

Only women bleed

Man makes your hair gray~ He's your life's mistake~ All you're really lookin' for is an even break~ He lies right at you~ You know you hate this game~ He slaps you once in a while and you live and love in pain~ She cries alone at night too often~ He smokes and drinks and don't come home at all.

Only women bleed

Black eyes all of the time~ Don't spend a dime~ Clean up this grime~ And you there down on your knees begging me please come~ Watch me bleed

Only women bleed

A Better Man

Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop Tell him, take no more, she practices her speech As he opens the door, she rolls over... Pretends to sleep as he looks her over She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man... She dreams in color, she dreams in red, can't find a better man... Can't find a better man (2x) Ohh... Talkin' to herself, there's no one else who needs to know... She tells herself, oh... Memories back when she was bold and strong And waiting for the world to come along... Swears she knew it, now she swears he's gone She lies and says she's in love with him, can't find a better man... She dreams in color, she dreams in red, can't find a better man... She lies and says she still loves him, can't find a better man... She dreams in color, she dreams in red, can't find a better man... Can't find a better man (2x) Yeah... She loved him, yeah...she don't want to leave this way She feeds him, yeah...that's why she'll be back again Can't find a better man (3x) Can't find a better...man... Ohh...ohh... Uh huh... (5x) Ohh...

Flinch

What's it been over a decade? It still smarts like it was four minutes ago We only influenced each other totally We only bruised each other even more so

What are you my blood? You touch me like you are my blood What are you my dad? You affect me like you are my dad

How long can a girl be shackled to you How long before my dignity is reclaimed How long can a girl stay haunted by you Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name

Where've you been? I heard you moved to my city My brother saw you somewhere downtown I'd be paralyzed if I ran into you My tongue would seize up if we were to meet again

What are you my god? You touch me like you are my god What are you my twin? You affect me like you are my twin

How long can a girl be tortured by you? How long before my dignity is reclaimed And how long can a girl be haunted by you Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name Soon I'll grow up and I won't even flinch at your name

So here I am one room away from where I know you're standing A well-intentioned man told me you just walked in This man knows not of how this information has affected me But he knows the colour of the car I just drove away in

What are you my kin? You touch me like you are my kin What are you my air? You affect me like you are my air

Sympathetic Character

I was afraid you'd hit me if i'd spoken up i was afraid of your physical strength i was afraid you'd hit me below the belt i was afraid of your sucker punch i was afraid of your reducing me i was afraid of your alcohol breath i was afraid of your complete disregard for me i was afraid of your temper i was afraid of handles being flown off of i was afraid of holes being punched into walls i was afraid of your testosterone I have as much rage as you have I have as much pain as you do I've lived as much hell as you have and i've kept mine bubbling under for you

you were my best friend you were my lover you were my mentor you were my brother you were my partner you were my teacher you were my very own sympathetic character

i was afraid of verbal daggers i was afraid of the calm before the storm i was afraid for my own bones i was afraid of your seduction i was afraid of your coercion i was afraid of your rejection i was afraid of your intimidation i was afraid of your punishment i was afraid of your icy silences i was afraid of your volume i was afraid of your manipulation i was afraid of your explosions

I have as much rage as you do I have as much pain as you do I've lived as much hell as you have and i've kept mine bubbling under for you

you were my best friend you were my lover you were my mentor you were my brother you were my partner you were my teacher you were my very own sympathetic character

you were my keeper you were my anchor you were my family you were my saviour and therein lay the issue

Black Eyes, Blue Tears

Black eyes, I don't need 'em Blue tears, gimme freedom Positively never goin' back I won't live where things are so out of whack No more rollin' with the punches No more usin' or abusin'

I'd rather die standing Than live on my knees Begging please-no more

Black eyes-I don't need 'em Blue tears-gimme freedom Black eyes-all behind me Blue tears'll never find me now

Definitely found my self esteem Finally-I'm forever free to dream No more cryin' in the corner No excuses-no more bruises

I'd rather die standing Than live on my knees Begging please-no more

Black eyes-I don't need 'em Blue tears-gimme freedom Black eyes-all behind me Blue tears'll never find me now

I'd rather die standing Than live on my knees, begging please...

Black eyes-I don't need 'em Blue tears-gimme freedom Black eyes-all behind me Blue tears'll never find me now

It's all behind me, they'll never find me now

Find your self-esteem and be forever free to dream