WHAT’S A CHILD TO DO?

If you must, who better to trust. Yeah!
To know the story, go straight to the source
I hadn’t slept too well, it had been quite a night
By the time I took a seat next to my sister
Dumb luck, dumbstruck, what the fuck
I don’t talk that way I’m just working it up
My mommy flew as the train whistle blew
My daddy creepy sleepy but I’m sure he knew it
Masquerading, then parading
When I came back with the news that mommy was fading

Who just came through the door? I don’t know!
How did he come to us and what’s he here for?
He’s very proper for this time of the morning
So very proper as he kneels on the floor

You don’t sleep too well with a lump in your throat
As your mom goes up in smoke and you know you’ll miss her
Something’s up, dummy up, the cover up
Is coming up, uh-huh, better step it up

For poppa to cope he’ll need a scapegoat
To get the job down I’ll even cut my own throat
While he’s delaying and the milkman’s praying
Would it have killed her to leave a note?
That’s all I’m saying

Who just came through the door? I don’t know!
How did he come to us and what’s he here for?
He’s very proper for this time of the morning
So very proper as he kneels on the floor

So what’s a child to do
When the world comes calling for you?

Oh, yeah, back to that milkman.
What’d that guy tell me? What did he say?

You’re very young, but you’re older than her, he said
So it’s your duty as the man of the house
(Oh, brother!)
My sister looked to me as if she believed it
(Oh, those eyes!)
As dad in a locked bedroom
Played a sickly game of cat and mouse

When the deed is done and you’ve got no one
No smoking gun, no one-on-one
You can kill someone with an unearned run
What daddy can’t get done goes to the son

The improbable, the unthinkable
the inexcusable, the inescapable
And the story each tells in parallel
To make a living hell somehow bearable

Then came the spider, the black widow spider
Her baby spiders, now they’re your kin
Make-believe teardrops to shame and condemn
Crawl in your bed at night, saying “Just stick it in”

So what’s a child to do
When the world comes calling for you?

Once it gets in the lower brain stem
How can you ever, probably never
Pull it out, sort it out, clean it out, go ahead
Mostly you just complain about it
Tune it out, wear it out, talk it out, cry it out
Sorry but you can’t live without it
The best thing I can do, have a laugh or two
‘Cause it’s so far out

So what’s a child to do
When the world comes calling for you?
Nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless
I would like to say goodbye
Doesn’t mean I want to die
I just want to say goodbye to you guys

So what’s a child to do when the world comes calling for you?

Nevertheless, nevertheless, nevertheless
I would like to say goodbye
It’s about time
So let’s do that
Come on, now!

Goodbye now, goodbye now, goodbye now, goodbye
Everybody has one: some dark and lonely secret
Goodbye now, goodbye now, goodbye now, goodbye

Goodbye. May God forgive, I know I gave it all I had to give
Goodbye. May God forgive, I know I gave it all I had to give
Goodbye. May God forgive, I know I gave it all I had to give
Goodbye. May God forgive, I know I gave it all I had to give

A Song Can Tell A Story

When words leave off, music begins.

WHAT’S A CHILD TO DO?