Down on Providence Plantation

 People think I'm the quiet type
 cause I avoid the crowd and I hide my light
 but what they're thinking just goes to show
 there's a lot that they really don't know  
 

When I reach my limit
I'm gonna go downtown
put on my torn up coat, and walk around
I'm gonna watch the leaves blowing off of the trees
think about Schubert and the Viennese
When I reach my limit I'm gonna go downtown

When I reach my limit
I'm gonna lose my mind
the man you know will be long gone and hard to find
now you don't know what you're doing to me
drive me every which way, one two three
When I reach my limit I'm gonna lose my mind
 

You might think that I'm gonna take
every new demand that you want to make
but keep it up and you're gonna find

you'll wish you never pushed me over the line
 

When I reach my limit
I'm gonna shout out loud
jump up on a table and draw a crowd
I'll be telling you things you never heard before
you'll be crawling out the windows instead of the doors
when I reach my limit I'm gonna shout out loud
 

When I reach my limit
I'm gonna blow my top
gonna come to the end of the line where the sign says Stop
my number's gonna come up, and it might be soon
gonna end up in the backyard grabbing at the moon
when I reach my limit I'm gonna blow my top

 My friends say you're no good for me
you don't know your own mind, you'd never let me be
but I'd give up my friends if I could be with you today
cause all I hear is what your kisses say

Your father tells me to leave you alone
says I'm too old for you, we'd never get along
but I'm not listening to him when he says to stay away
I only know what your kisses say

Might be a fool to pick up the pace
and shorten the distance that keeps us apart
but don't act too soon to turn me away
I'm only marching to the beat of your heart

I tell myself this isn't meant to be
you're from a time and a place too far away from me
but I pay no attention when I'm talking this way
I only hear what your kisses say

And even you my dear seem to know that it's true
you keep pushing my hands, my heart, my love away from you
but I'm not asking you darling to see things my way
just listen to what your kisses say 

You've been stepping in my way
you've been talking when there's nothing to say
now we're alone, and that's one thing
but seems like you're trying to start something

Don't start, don't start, don't start something
you can't finish with me

Your kiss could open doors
your eyes are asking for more
you're near, and getting nearer
what's on your mind couldn't get much clearer

Don't start, don't start, don't start something
you can't finish with me

You know we're supposed to be friends
that's where it starts, that's where it ends
you and me are not a good bet
get any closer and I might forget

I've lived and I've learned
I've been loved and I've been burned
if your kiss doesn't mean that much
you can look but you'd better not touch

Don't start, don't start, don't start something
you can't finish with me
 

There she goes, walking away
and there's still so much you've got to say
but you can't tell her nothing, no, she's just too young
you can see what she's doing
she's gonna drive herself to wrack and ruin
but it's her life to ruin, so man, you'd better bite your tongue

You want to say, watch your step
talk about the changes she ain't been through yet
but you can't help her through 'em, no, better let her run
she's gotta find her way out that door
that you've been through so many times before
but this is her time now, so man, you'd better bite your tongue

Don't tell her future, don't read her palm
don't try to cushion her fall
when she comes crying later, just stay calm
though that's the hardest thing of all

You told the truth, you know she heard
but she can't listen to a single word
and it just doesn't matter, no, if you're the one
she'll only hate you if you get in her way
there's still a chance that she'll be back some day
but that's her own business, so man,
you'd better bite your tongue 

I'm still smiling, so why do you have to cry?
I can walk away, so hey, why shouldn't I?
I can stand to see you fall
it doesn't hurt me at all

It's easy for me, so why is it hard for you?
You're just a whim, I can grin - it's all I ever do
I can watch you climb those walls
it doesn't hurt me at all

You shouldn't take it so hard
there's better ways to spend your time
why can't you understand
you're no fun when you're wasting mine?

Call me cold, but gee, it works for me
say I'm bad, but I've had enough misery
I won't catch you when you fall
it doesn't hurt me at all
it doesn't hurt me at all  

You smiled at first and said you were fine
and there was nothing special on your mind
then you looked away across the street
and said it felt so strange for us to meet

Then you sighed like I hadn't heard in years
and your eyes kinda narrowed up with tears
you said I might as well tell -things aren't going so well

You stay out late at a club or a show
you got a husband but he won't go
his friends don't like all the people you know
those were such good times we had so long ago -

I had to tear myself away from you somehow
I'll be damned but you're even better looking now
Could you tell? Things aren't going so well

Now another midnight has come and gone
I don't have the strength to disconnect the phone
I want to hear your voice - well I do and I don't
can't trust myself - wish I had someone else

I closed the book on that part of my life
on the day you changed into another man's wife
"forsaking all others" were the words you used
I was the one that you didn't choose

If you're over him, you sure could be over me
we could never get back to the way that we used to be
I can just tell - things wouldn't go so well

Now I know better, I'm better off alone
but if it should ring, I'm picking up that phone
I've got no choice in the matter at all
you can wreck my life again, just make that call

I'm balanced at the top of a mountain of need
just one push from you and I'll be picking up speed
straight down to hell
things aren't going so well 

Now she can have eyes that really put you wise

to all that a woman can be

and she can have ways that keep you in a daze

and make you crave her company

It might be unfair how she moves from here to there

she may be fine in every part

you're liking all you see, but you've seen nothing until she

shows you an understanding heart

     Understanding heart, don't make a start

     no matter what you want to do

     she could be home, sitting all alone

     but there's nobody home for you

When you hear her voice, you'll think she's made a choice

and you will choose what you want to hear

just to see her smile, you'll walk another mile

and tell yourself she's getting near

Now wanting Lady Eve will make you make believe

and you will pay to play a part

but it's no good to be misunderstood

you need an understanding heart

     Understanding heart, don't even start

     whatever else she has to show you

     cause there's no fun when all is said and done

     loving one who'll never really know you

Now each and every man needs a helping hand

and you had better play it smart

if you can't get the best, don't bother with the rest

you need an understanding heart

 They said that they loved you, and the tone was just right
they were talking forever, but meaning tonight
they were thinking your body, but saying your mind
when something's in it for them, they know how to be kind

Other men have acted a lover's part
other men have cheated you of your heart
here am I telling you this time it's something new
all I ask you to do - let me prove it to you

You don't want to count all the ways you've been used
some tried to hurt you, and some were confused
they said they were sorry for all you went through
they didn't know themselves enough to really know you

Other men have said that they were to blame
but other men would do it all over again
here am I telling you this time won't be the same
all I ask you to do - let me prove it to you

     Now I'm paying for what they've done
     they make it hard to be a man today
     but I'm saying I could be the one
     to show you all of us are not that way

You've got your suspicions, I can see in your eyes
you can't help but wonder if you're hearing more lies
well all I can tell you are the words I've been taught
though you've heard them before, they're all that I've got

Other men have said all the things I've said
and other men have left your heart for dead
here am I telling you this time the words are true
but what else can I do - let me prove it to you 

 Built the foundation with my own hands
almost broke my back getting those walls to stand
got the sun shining in through my window panes
put on a roof to keep out the rain
now I'm gonna have to do it all over again

     You brought my house down on me baby
     you brought my house down on me baby
     you took my day, you tore it up and threw it away
     you took my night and you put it clear out of sight
     you brought my house down on me baby

It withstood bitter cold and blistering heat
there was no disaster that it couldn't beat
Texas twisters and tidal waves, tropical storms and hurricanes
now it's lying in a shambles at your feet

     You brought my house down on me baby
     you brought my house down on me baby
     you took my day, you tore it up and threw it away
     you took my night and you put it clear out of sight
     you brought my house down on me baby

Looks like I'm gonna have to start anew
this time I'm gonna need a little help from you
you've got what it takes to get the walls to stand
but we can't go back to my original plan
gonna have to make it big enough for two

     You brought my house down on me baby
     you brought my house down on me baby
     you took my day, you tore it up and threw it away
     you took my night and you put it clear out of sight
     you brought my house down on me baby 

Pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita
out under the moon, you're growing up too soon
the body of a woman, the heart of a child
it gives you a thrill driving grown men wild
pretty little Lolita
pretty litle Lolita

Pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita
when you're moving that frame, you're drawing me like a flame
you've been trying it out all over town
you've got seventeen men trying to run you down
pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita

     There's a smile on your face,
     I'm trying hard not to watch it
     don't make my heart race
     if you're not trying to catch it
     pretty little Lolita
     pretty little Lolita

Pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita
the boys at home all say you're used to getting your way
whoever messes with you had better watch his step
you've got answers to questions no one's asked you yet
pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita

Pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita
when all is said and done, I gotta be the one
I know that your Daddy's been so good to you
but are you gonna let me be your Daddy too?
Pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita
pretty little Lolita 

Don't be fooled by the way I act
it's all for show and that's a fact
my smile's a mask, my mood is too
I really miss you

And don't believe all the things I say
they're meant to keep you far away
those words are made up, these are true
I really miss you

     I know I've hurt you,
     it's plain to see
     I've got no right to fight it,
     put the blame on me
     if I were free to ask for more from you,
     I surely would
     cause settling for less
     is doing me no good

I guess that I'll never fool myself
and think of you as someone else
I know too well - you should too
I really miss you
 

 Lonesome traveler, you're still on the road
when others found a home, it seems that you've found none
but lonesome traveler, consider where you've been
think of all you've seen, look at all that you've done

Your soul's grown deeper from day to day
you've been alive in so many ways
can't you see O traveler, it's your own road leading you on?

Lonesome traveler, you think of those you've loved
the ones you've left behind are never far from your mind
but lonesome traveler, though they have slipped away
their time with you is gone for they had roads of their own

No one's satisfied your every need
not one plan could ever succeed
but if it had O traveler, you never would have moved on

     Take heart, traveler, take heart
     in all the world no one else can take your part
     and be glad, O traveler be glad
     that no one else could have the life you've had

Lonesome traveler, don't wonder where you're bound
though you will rest one day, you are still on the way
and lonesome traveler, look at this road you're on
by now you should know it chose you long ago

Every moment brings something new
this journey's meant for no one but you
don't you see O traveler, it's your own road leading you on
Don't you see O traveler, it's your own road leading you on