so the wind that blows across your room
carried cheap perfume onto your dresser
it rained for jewelry and for credit cards
two tickets to a film I don't remember
oh, one day you'll kiss your rabbits nose, pick up the phone
to find I've been turned over
and you'll grab that piece of gold
only to find that the smell has taken over
now all the things you had, they aren't the same...
as what you hold

Now standing in a room,
its filled with all the folks and they're pleading "baby listen"
and I scream as loud as anyone,
but when asked to make a point I tend to whisper
now highways turn to tidal waves
they're asking me to ex (short for "explain") for all of your insecurities
but that wind that blows across your room
its gonna set the sails, and send me back to you

sometimes, when sailors are sailing
they think twice, about where they're anchoring
and I think, I could make better use of my time on land
I'll drink less, cause lord knows I could use a warm kiss
instead of a cold goodbye
I'm writing the folks back home to tell them
"hey I'm doing alright"

its a shame what your father did to your brothers head
when he smashed it with a telephone
and your mother got scared and locked the door
you were only four, but lord you remember it
so now you're scared of love
and you'll take love the same as the blood on the receiver
love is stinkin' cold
its an inside joke
love is coming home

sometimes, when sailors are sailing
they think twice, about where they're anchoring
and i think, i could make better time of my time on land
I'll drink less
cause lord knows i could use a warm kiss
instead of a cold goodbye
I'm writing the folks back home to tell them
"hey I'm doing alright"

yeah I'm doing just fine
and if she seems as lonely as me.....
let her sink.
let her sink.
let her



Lyrics submitted by deepelmdouches, edited by Lorolyon

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  • +1
    General Comment

    the first time i heard this song, "and i scream as loud as anyone, but when asked to make a point i tend to whisper " stuck out to me. i think its so prfound and that so many ppl feel that but never say it.

    EmilyVAon March 13, 2008   Link

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