Joy in Mudville Lyrics

I saw my face on the news

The kids are all Wandering Jews

What would you say if you heard

I hate to write you your words

But your boy's been better than that

See they don't know where I've been at

Truth be told neither do I

The memories blacken with flies

And all that remains are the strange little stains

On the carpet when they came and took your bed away

And the mineral smell that would find me in Hell

If there was one, I know you don't know that you know there ain't

And the bones of your knees all shipwrecked in sheets

And the bones of your knees all shipwrecked in sheets

I saw your face in a dream

Sublimate softly to steam

And carry me floating away

A sickly and sour bouquet

But I have made promises here

I whispered them into your ear

I made a hundred or more

But I can't recall what I swore

You couldn't speak, so I kissed your cheek

And the two of us lay there 'til we turned to stone

Sing "Mother and Child", they sing "tender and mild"

Sing rended, and wild, and sing it all alone

They told me some lies and they made you a prize

They told me some lies, said: Now she'll be your prize

I see my face on a screen

Caved-in. Swollen. Mean.

Grinning and splitting in half

Broken apart by a laugh

But if I've been better than this

Stood-for. Bled-for. Kissed

Then I'd like to see what they see

The evidence of you in me

'Cause when sister she smiles, you come back for awhile

And you sit at her window, just looking through

Oh, sing the lesson I missed, sing: We were better than this

Oh, you are better than this, my child! I thought you knew

Don't build me an altar; build you a home

Don't build me an altar; build you a home

Rest when you rest; move when you don't

Don't build me an altar; build you a home

Write me my words; I left you the stone

Don't build me an altar; build you a home

Oh, let me live there