I wish that I could show you all I've seen, I've been well educated in sadness, I've learned all I need, and I've felt the tug of fame, I've been soft spoken, I've watched the hills all burning down, I've felt the fear split wide open, and I used to watch the sun set on the bay in the vivid colors of depression, in the light of fading day, and I tried so goddamned hard to be satisfied with what filled my eyes
I didn't want to live a long life, if you understand, you only feel what you feel, it's so impossible to plan to live a long life when the whole world holds you down, when every hope casts a shadow of doubt, I didn't want to live a long life, but I"ll do my best in any moment to get a little happiness, cause you get what you get, I guess
So I make a worry and I pick it til it bleeds, I carry it with me as I'm driving down those cracked and busted streets, where the kids standing on the corner smoking have all been locked up, all been knocked up, grown up hard in East Oakland and I know to them that my life must seem tame, but everybody's heaviest worry, it still weighs the same and I feel the tension rise as I pass by, you can see it in their eyes
They don't expect to live a long life and hey I understand, you only see what you see it's so impossible to plan to live a long life when the whole world holds you down, when every hope casts a shadow of doubt, they don't expect to live a long life and me I do my best, in any moment, to get a little happiness, cause you get what you get, I guess
With all that said I can always say some more, I feel you busting off the hinges on this long locked up door and the stakes have never ever felt so high, I want to factor you into my dreams, I want you to build me in your life, I want to know you got my back through anything, but you gotta be patient, baby, this is all new to me and I'm scared though you know I wouldn't lie, look into my eyes
You make me want to live a long life if it's by your side, I want to know you want it too, I want nothing to hide, to live a long life, well that's the hope, but the future isn't yours or mine to know, you make me want to live a long life, and I'll do my best, in any moment, to give you a little happiness, but you get who you get, I guess
credits
from Happiness,
released December 13, 2011
Dave Smallen - Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals, Piano, Organ, Mellotron, Engineer, Producer
Evan Evans - Bass
Noah Clark - Drums
Mike Knox - Electric Guitar Arrangement
Robert Cheek - Engineer, Mixing
Hans Dekline - Mastering
Written by Dave Smallen
Recorded at The Hangar in Sacramento and Dave's House in Los Angeles
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