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Runs In The Family Tab

by Amanda Palmer


                           
my friend has problems with winter and autumn
                           
they give him prescriptions they shine bright lights on him
                           
they say its genetic they say he cant help it
                           
they say you can catch it - but sometimes you're born with it

                           
my friend has blight he gets shakes in the night
                           
and they say there is no way that they could have caught it in
                           
time takes its toll on him it is traditional
                           
it is inherited predisposition

                                                 
all day i've been wondering what is inside of me who can i blame for it

i say:

                         
it runs in the family this famine that carries me
                                
to such great lengths to open my legs
                        
up to anyone who’ll have me
                                  
it runs in the family i come by it honestly
                                                    
do what you want cause who knows it might fill me up

                           
my friends depressed she's a wreck she's a mess
                                                                
they’ve done all sorts of tests and they guess it has something to do with her grandmother
                       
grandfathers grandmother civil war soldiers who

badly infected her
                                                                    
my friend has maladies rickets and allergies that she dates back to the 17th century
                                     
somehow she manages - in her misery - strips in the city
    
and shares all her best tricks with

                                                   
me? well, i'm well. well, i mean i'm in hell. well, i still have my health
          
(at least that's what they tell me)
                            
if wellness is this, what in hells name is sickness?
     
but, business is business!

and business

                                   
runs in the family we tend to bruise easily
                                
bad in the blood i'm telling you ‘cause
i just want you to know me
             
know me and my family
                
we’re wonderful folks
                                                                    
but don't get too close to me cause you might knock me up

                    
mary have mercy now look what i've done
                                 
but don't blame me because i cant tell where i come from
                             
and running is something that we’ve always done
                            
well and mostly i can’t even tell what i'm running from

    
i run from their pity
     
from responsibility

run from the country
    
and run from the city

      
i can run from the law
      
i can run from myself
      
i can run for my life
      
i can run into debt

      
i can run from it all
      
i can run 'till i'm gone
      
i can run for the office
    
and run from the cause

                    
i can run using every last ounce of energy

i cannot
i cannot

i cannot
            
run from my family
               
they're hiding inside me
           
corpses on ice
                 
come in if you'd like
                       
but just don't tell my family
             
they'd never forgive me
                     
they’ll say that i'm crazy
                   
but they would say anything if it would
                       
shut me up.....