"tired old face" by Ani DiFranco

(thanks Rob!)

every time i open my mouth
i take off my clothes
and i'm all frostbitten 
from being exposed 
i've got red scaly hands
and purple scabby feet
and you can smell me coming
from half way down the street

oh oh oh

and i remember that old
motel had quite the smell
where i went to use the phone
between the doughnut shop 
and the pizza parlor where 
i learned to live alone
sweet 16 and smiling
my way out of any jam
learning the ways of the world
oh my
learning the ways of man

oh oh oh

and i didn't really want a baby
and i guess that i had a choice
but i just let it grow inside of me
it's persistent little voice  
and i guess i got her off and running
run off is what she did
and that is part of what i think about
when i think about that kid

oh oh oh 

and now there is nothing left to 
wish upon but the passing cars
the cacophony of city lights 
is drowning out the stars
this park bench is a lifeboat 
and the rest a big, dark sea
i'm just going to lie here 
till something comes and finds me

oh oh oh

i've got this tired old face
that's still grinning most of the time
just because it don't have a better way
to say what's on it's mind
and i've got this running monologue
entertaining in it's outrage
and i've got the air of an animal
that's been living in a cage

oh oh oh

cuz every time i open my mouth 
i take off my clothes
and i'm all frostbitten 
from being exposed
i've got red scaly hands
and purple scabby feet
go ahead not smell me
from halfway down the street

Ani DiFranco Lyrics brought to you by danah boyd since 1995