words and music by paula mcmath

I watch the back of my hands do the best they can
holdin’ on to the strings
my father didn’t need to speak this ain’t no place to be weak
he didn’t need to say a thing

my life began with a door slam and I pretty much nailed it shut
there’s nobody’s gettin’ in
my mother didn’t need to say this ain’t no place to play
you need to work for what you got
you need to work for what you got

and so I try to remember why I lie
so that some way I can pay the bill
while I die a little on the inside
for all the time I’m gonna kill
all the time I’m gonna kill all the time

they came from a black and white world
so all the pictures seem to say
a smile on her face on his not a trace
of what they’d give away

the stone wheel turned around and round
and the leaves changed on the trees
they burned they learned
and they taught me they taught me
that time isn’t free that time isn’t free

chorus

I do things I don’t wanna do
in the name of survival
I’ve been waiting half my life
for my own arrival
and for hours that pass away
there’ll never be enough to pay
to buy one minute back to buy one minute back
of the time I spent today the time I spent today

I watch the back of my hands do the best they can
I watch my parents change
I love them so I hate them so
for having to succumb to age

See my face in the mirror each day and I know
that I’m no different from them
what is is what is but I didn’t picture this
I was never gonna sell
I was never gonna sell

chorus