Much, much more than hours or miles It's not a cabinet overflowing with files There's simply no one there Or are you there?
But that's what I get I get nothing God, what do I expect? I'm talking to a machine!
It's not only felt in wires and words That couldn't be heard without the blessing or curse Of telephony…
Packet headers for direction Cell checking for correction Frame relay for connection And comfort noise to fill the void (to support the silence between us)
But that's what I get…
I've never felt so alone I've never missed someone the way I miss you Sorry I missed you
The resistance (not a matter of hours or miles) Isn't (just a cabinet overflowing with files) It's trying to make you want to come my way To make you say the things that you won't say
I was raised with a ruler Always measuring me I was pushed to be further along Than I really should be It was all for the sake of my folks' Vanity
But when I was behind, they made sure And when I was ahead, they pushed more 'tell ya, I can't win
Got away, I was sixteen Met a girl that I loved Said she loved me truly Just the way that I was Then she wanted to change me To something she could be proud of
And when I was behind, she made sure (I knew it) And when I was ahead, she pushed more 'tell ya, I can't win
And what I wanted to be, what I wanted What I really really wanted to be What I wanted God knows what I wanted to be
Now you know the moral Just as well as I do Everybody's a critic, Don't let it get to you And I wish that I could say I lived by those words too But when fall behind, I get sore When I am ahead, I want more 'tell ya I can't win
A pterodactyl swoops down low to find a perch Finally alights on a hanging branch, says “This will work” Said “You wouldn't believe the traffic, It was positively Jurrasic!” And “oh, it's good to see you again.”
And we sat down to tea The pterodactyl and me
Old Mother Turtle arrives a minute later and smiles Says “Gimme some sugah, sugah, I haven't seen you for a while” Reaches inside her shell, to pull out a little bell To ring for more hot water and pastry
And we sat down to tea The turtle, pterodactyl, and me
We sit and talk and talk While all the others gawk I guess it all depends But we're the best of friends We spend time catching up and Eating a trilobite salad Who cares if we're different? We're the best of friends
The pot is empty, it's getting late, but still we stay But it gets chilly. I'm warm enough, but not they We rise, exchange kisses Agree that this is So wonderful, we've got to do it again
And we sat down to tea The turtle, pterodactyl, and me
She always wears her fashion clothes Always stands with her hips-on-her-hands action pose She's got the hair The improbable figure But Daphne leaves me cold
I want Velma
She's not as tall, she hates my scarves I want to lose myself in her generous curves She is the smart one Big glasses and heart one But Daphne's who I serve
I want Velma
For Daphne, I have to be Perpetually ready But Velma, I want to drive My Mystery Machine right between…
The sheets and wires, the crummy masks This job doesn't give as much as it asks They call us kids I'm thirty six now! And Daphne's reaching for her flask
One drop was dark enough for you Taken in chains One drop was light enough for you Flowing through her veins
Dubloon…quadroon…octaroon… Man in the moon
A fallacy so deep in seed They got people to believe I'm telling you, you've got to break that rule Or you would be the One Drop Fool
One drop of this but not of that Cower in your robes One drop of this but not of that Threaten to disown
Brown shirt…brown bag…name change Everyone's game
A fallacy so deep…
And everybody says mixed kids look the best And everybody knows a sole rose never grows And everybody who's anybody will tell you You'll never make it, man, if you stay in your clan
A fallacy… Teach in church and they teach it in school Don't you become the One Drop Fool
Blood is life, not a social tool unless you believe the one-drop rule Smash it, break it, hammer it down Or would you be the one-drop clown?
It was the hardest thing I've ever done It's not my way to turn away from what I want
For all the love that you gave me I could tell you were saving A piece of your heart
The night was so luscious and open, I had to cry To see the look of confusion in your eye
For every wonderful word You kept something in reserve A piece of your heart
I had good reason to say you couldn't love me Like you should
Stars were swimming in pools spilled from your eyes But I could see you understood deep inside
It was as if you thought you would fall apart Fall into bits just like pick-up-sticks That the whole damn thing was hanging on that piece If you gave it to me it would all tumble down
I had good reason to say you couldn't love me Like you should
I have to reach out my hands and hold on Pull myself out of this shell Break myself out this spell Get a grip on myself and say I Even I can change I'll have to make that happy ending