Every good boy does a little bit better
when they practice their scales after school.
And every little girl’s got nothing left to wear,
and who could ever know that you’re cool.
Hair always tangled, fingers always crossed.
Stars always spangled, eyes always lost.
She wrote the keys on the door.
She spilled the cookies on the floor.
And did you never play a Paper Piano?
And did you never ride a bike with no wheels?
Did you never use a milk jug for a baseball glove?
Could you ever know how happiness feels?
Everybody knows when you ain’t got nothing
that you ain’t got nothing to fear.
I put on my Liberties and grab a good book,
get on my best mule and ride outta here.
Oranges on the TV screen, cigarettes on the porch
Sunday dress on a sewing machine, braided mane on a horse.
Go on and dye your blood blood red.
I’m gonna hunt us down some water and bread.
And did you never play a Paper Piano?
And did you never ride a bike with no wheels?
Did you never use a milk jug for a baseball glove?
Could you ever know how happiness feels?
They could put a fence around anything.
It’s just a matter of posts.
You could put your butter on my guitar strings,
but that ain’t gonna make them toast.
I’m gonna fall down a wishing well.
I’m gonna get me a whole buncha change.
I’m gonna burn down that old pawn shop
and fall asleep in the rain.
And did you never play a Paper Piano?
And did you never love a man before me?
Because I never knew a damn thing til I saw you smile,
and I never knew how good it could be.