Lyrics Joanna Newsom – Good Intentions Paving Co.

Twenty miles left to the show
Hello, my old country, hello
Stars are just beginning to appear
And I have never in my life before been here

And it’s my heart, not me, who cannot drive
At which conclusion you arrived
Watching me sit here bolt upright and cry
For no good reason at the Eastering sky

And the tilt of this strange nation
And the will to remain for the duration
Waving the flag
Feeling it drag

Like a bump on a bump on a log, baby
Like I’m in a fist fight with a fog, baby
Step-ball-change and a pirouette
And I regret, I regret

How I said to you, «Honey, just open your heart»
When I’ve got trouble even opening a honey jar
And that right there is where we are

And I been ‘fessing double fast
Addressing questions nobody asked
I’ll get this joy off of my chest at last
And I will love you ’til the noise has long since passed

And I did not mean to shout, just drive
Just get us out, dead or alive
A road too long to mention, Lord, it’s something to see
Laid down by the Good Intentions Paving Company

All the way to the thing we’ve been playing at, darlin’
I can see that you’re wearing your staying hat, darlin’
For the time being all is well

This is blindness beyond all conceiving
Well, behind us the road is leaving, yeah, leaving
And falling back
Like a rope gone slack

And I saw straight away that the lay was steep
But I fell for you, honey, as easy as falling asleep
And that right there is the course I keep

And no amount of talking is going to soften the fall
But, like after the rain, step out if the overhang, that’s all
It had a nice a ring to it when the ole opry house rang
So with a solemn auld lang
Signed, sealed, delivered, I sang
And there is hesitation and it always remains
Concerning you, me
And the rest of the gang
And in our quiet hour
I feel I see everything
And am in love with the hook upon which everyone hangs
And I know you meant to show the extent
To which you gave a god dang
You ranged real hot and real cold but I’m sold
I am home on that range
And I do hate to fold
Right here at the top of my game
When I’ve been trying with my whole heart and soul
To stay right here in the right lane
But it can make you feel over and old
Lord, you know it’s a shame
When I only want for you to pull over and hold me
Till I can’t remember my own name