Nettles Lyrics – Ethel Cain

We were in a race to grow up
Yesterday, through today, till tomorrow
But when the plant blew up
A piece of shrapnel flew and slowed that part of you
The doctors gave you until the end of the night
But not till daylight, not till daylight
Time passes slower in the flicker of a hospital light
I pray the race is worth the fight

Made a fool of myself down on Tennessee Street
It wasn’t pretty like the movies, it was ugly like what they all did to me
And they did to me what I wouldn’t do to anyone
You know that’s for sure

Tell me all the time not to worry
And think of all the time that I’ll have with you
When I won’t wake up on my own, wake up on my own
Held close all the time, knowing I’m half of you

Lay me down where the trees bend low
Put me down where the greenery stings
I can hear them singing
To love me is to suffer me
And I believe it
When I lay with you in that auld lang room
Wishing I was the way you say that you are
You’ll go fight a war, I’ll go missing
I warned you, for me, it’s not that hard

That picture on the wall you’re scared of looks just like you
I want to bleed, I want to hurt the way that boys do
Maybe you’re right and we should stop watching the news
‘Cause, baby, I’ve never seen brown eyes look so blue

Tell me all the time not to worry (not to worry)
And think of all the time that I’ll have with you
When I won’t wake up on my own, wake up on my own
Held close all the time, knowing I’m half of you

Think of us inside after the wedding (after the wedding)
Suffering the while to lie a time or two
Where we won’t wake up on our own, wake up on our own
Held close all the time, knowing

This was all for you
Think of us inside
Gardenias on the tile
Where it makes no difference who held back from who