lifeblood: songs: lyrics: hairshirt

i am not the type of dog
that could keep you waiting
for no good reason
run a carbon-black test on my jaw
and you will find
it's all been said before

i can swing my megaphone
and long arm the rest
it's easier and better
to just beat it from the chest
of desire

i can walk into this room
and the waves
of conversation are enough
to knock you down
with the undertow
i'm so alone
i'm so alone
in my life

feed me banks of light
(feed me)
and hang your hairshirt
(of)
on your lowest rung
(of)
it's a beautiful life
(light)
and i can hang
(light)
my hairshirt
(light)
away up high
(light)
in the attic
(unknown)
of the wrong dog's
(unknown)
life chest
(unknown)
or bury it at sea
(my life)
all my life
(if you feed me banks of light)
i've searched for this

here i am
(in my life in your life)
(in my life in your life)
here i am
(in my life)
in your life
(in my life and in your life)
(in my life in your life)
it's a beautiful life
(in my life)
in my life
(unknown)
it's a beautiful life
(oh)
(unknown)
and your life
(unknown)
it's a beautiful life
(in my life)
in my life
(unknown)
it's a beautiful life
(it's a beautiful, beautiful life)
in your life
(unknown)
it's a beautiful life
(it's beautiful)
um um um um um um

words and music by bill berry, peter buck, mike mills, and michael stipe
as performed with michael stipe september 25, 1988 at the athens music festival in athens, georgia