i know that it's bad,
that it's the kind that they can't operate on.
and i know it's real slow, honey
painful and real slow;
styrofoam coffee cups
and bagged drugs that never work enough.
and i know it's real slow, honey
painful and real slow.

when we were young
and hit like hammers,
i'd write the nails in your hands;
but when ninety-nine percent of us is failure,
there's no going back.

and i know it's real slow, honey
painful and real slow.

blackbird come the break of dawn,
the tv's on, i turn it off,
walk outside, get in the car,
stare at the wheel then fall apart.

i get it all the time,
bright eyes to bat and hide behind-
but i know they're just for show, honey
painful and just for show.
black rooms to babysit,
white halls to pace and wait for it;
and i know it's too slow, honey
painful and real slow.

when we were young
and hit like hammers,
i'd write the nails in your hands.
when ninety-nine percent of us is failure,
there's no coming back.

and i know it's real slow, honey
painful and real slow

blackbird come the break of day,
you swallow the shit that people say.
walk outside look at the sky,
ask it to fall or tell you why.