Once I had a fine guitar, she taught me to play
Her rosewood fingerboard had little birds of pearl inlay
Her simple voice was clear, it had the ring of youth
She had heartwood deep inside, so she always sang the truth
And the days that I spent holding her were full of life for me
She saw people clearly, and she sang what she would see:
Insecurities of lovers, trying hard to hold their pose
The clash of children's colors, when they pick out their own clothes
The heart beats lost forever, inside those afraid to touch
And the reasons people give explaining why they own too much
When she sang with honest beauty of the love we might achieve
Then the people flocked to hear her, yes, they wanted to believe
But when she sang about our problems, they would say that she was wrong
They told her she was crazy, they said “Sing the pretty songs!
Sing the pretty songs!”
But she didn't stop her songs, the people had to know
She only sang them louder, ‘cause she loved the people so
“When the comforts of the wealthy are worth more than healthy kids
When our trusted leaders lie and give us broken promises
When the lives of all the creatures on the earth are on the line
Then it's time for better answers! Now we'd better find some time!”
But the people wouldn't listen, even though she screamed and cried
And the strain from all her trying cracked her heartwood deep inside
Her strings flew loose and wild, and so everyone assumed
She was just an instrument, ... too finely tuned, too finely tuned.
Too finely tuned, for an audience of backs
Too finely tuned, with her heartwood full of cracks
Too finely tuned, to close her mouth and shut her eyes
Too finely tuned, to sing them lies.
Once I had a fine guitar, she taught me to play
Her rosewood fingerboard had little birds of pearl inlay
Her simple voice was clear, it had the ring of youth
She had heartwood deep inside, so she always sang the truth
And the days that I spend holding her are full of life for me
She sees people clearly, and we need that desperately,
She sees people clearly, and we need that desperately!
Written by Peter Alsop, ©Copyright 1987, Moose School Music(BMI)
On Disciples of PerFection & Pie In The Sky - www.peteralsop.com