Her Master's Voice

Lyrics

There’s a word for elegance and dinnertime conspiracy
A word that guides and understands
That sees your cards but hides your hand

A word that never finds you guilty, a word that wins the case
And finds in your defence
And then destroys the evidence

A word that can smile at fear
Without which I’d not be here
When I was alone, when I ran away
This word brought me back, back home to stay
A word to crash land on when I’ve flown too close to the sun

Back before these old days had begun
Of all my words, I’d just need one

But so many words I use now to keep me safe
Confuse a lover, snare a friend
Authentic games of let’s pretend

Shielded with simile, kept arm’s length by metaphor
Much more verbose than in my youth
Yet far more sparing with the truth

But I’d like to drop the spiel
And tell you something real
As our winter lives begin flying south
If I used my heart half as well as my mouth
I’d throw out the old family script and just tell you clear

What I’ve done, the things I’ve seen
The boy I am, the man I’ve been
My patchwork heaven, subtle hells
Each little secret, but all else above
I’d tell you what I know about love
But it’s your words I’d be using
So I’ll just stay quiet

Let’s say, mom’s the word