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All songs written by boygenius

“Bite The Hand”

I can’t hear you—you’re too far away. I can’t see you—the light is in my face. I can’t touch you—

—I wouldn’t if I could.

I can’t love you how you want me to.

Here’s the best part distilled for you, but you want what I can’t give to you. Your hands are gravity, while my hands are tied.

I can’t love you how you want me to.

Who do you think you are? Who do you think I am? What do you wanna say? What do you think will change? Maybe I’m afraid of you.

Maybe I’m afraid of you.

I’ll bite the hand that feeds me, bite the hand that feeds me. Bite the hand. Bite the hand.

Bite the hand that needs me, bite the hand that needs me. Bite the hand, bite the hand.

I can’t love you how you want me to.

I can’t love you how you want me to.

“Me & My Dog”

We had a great day, even though we forgot to eat, and you had a bad dream. Then we got no sleep, ’cause we were kissing.

I had a fever, until I met you. Now you make me cool.

But sometimes I still do something embarrassing…

I never said I’d be alright. Just thought I could hold myself together. But I couldn’t breathe, I went outside–don’t know why I thought it’d be any better. I’m fine now. It doesn’t matter.

I didn’t wanna be this guy. I cried at your show with the teenagers. Tell your friend I’ll be alright; in the morning it won’t matter.

I wanna be emaciated. I wanna hear one song without thinking of you. I wish I was on a spaceship, just me and my dog and an impossible view.

I dream about it, and I wake up falling.

“Souvenir”

Dreamcatcher in the rearview mirror hasn’t caught a thing yet. Twenty dollars in souvenirs? Anything’s worth trying to stay out of your nightmares. Few hours in your dreams last night. Always end up dying, you said, because of course I did.

Always managed to move in right next to cemeteries, and never far from hospitals. I don’t know what that tells you about me.

Pulling thorns out of my palm, working midnight surgery. When you cut a hole into my skull…

…do you hate what you see? Like I do?

“Stay Down”

I wasn’t a fighter ’til somebody told me I had better learn to lean into the punch. So I don’t hurt as bad when they leave.

There you were, turning your cheek…

I look at you and you look at a screen. I’m in the back seat of my body. I’m just steering my life in the video game—similar accent, a different name. It’s a slowdown.

So would you teach me I’m the villain? Aren’t I? Aren’t I the one constantly repenting for a difficult mind? Push me down into the water like a sinner, hold me under, and I’ll never come up again. I’ll just stay down.

It’s a half-life, it’s a fallout. It takes so long for me to settle down. And, when I finally do, there’s no one else around, so I stay down.

So I stay down.

“Salt In The Wound”

You put salt in the wound, and a kiss on my cheek. You butter me up, and you sit down to eat.

You add insult to injury. You say you believe in me, but you haven’t decided about taking or leaving me.

But you take and you take, like silks up my sleeve, tied corner to corner, never-ending. Trick after trick, I make the magic and you unrelentingly ask for the secret.

Neck full of mockingbirds, all calling your name. I tried to sing it all back like I heard it—it don’t sound the same.

I’m gnashing my teeth, like a child of Cain. If this is a prison I’m willing to burn my own chain.

But you take and you take, like silks up my sleeve, tied corner to corner, never-ending. Trick after trick, I make the magic and you unrelentingly ask for the secret.

They say the hearts and minds are on your side; they say the finish line is in your sights. What they don’t say is what’s on the other side…

They say, the hearts and minds are on your side.

“Ketchum, ID”

Back in the States now, in a college town. I would walk around, but it’s really coming down. Mesmerized by double lines…two yellow tightropes. I’m making good time.

I am never anywhere, anywhere I go. When I’m home I’m never there long enough to know.

Being in love is the same thing as being alone, given the sorrows and company. Nothing to say, stay on the phone? I’m sorry, I do not know what else you want from me.

I am never anywhere, anywhere I go. When I’m home, I’m never there long enough to know.

Being in love is the same thing as being alone, given the sorrows and company. Nothing to say. Stay on the phone? I’m sorry, I do not know what else you want from me.

I am never anywhere, anywhere I go. When I’m home, I’m never there long enough to know.

You say, “How are you?” I say, “I don’t know.” Let’s dissolve the band, move to Idaho. Everyone’s around, and I hear you smiling. You say “I love you.” I say “You, too.”

I am never anywhere, anywhere I go. When I’m home, I’m never there long enough to know.

I am never anywhere, anywhere I go. When I’m home, I’m never there long enough—