Talking the talk with a big white man
Talking sharp, talking cool
Talking so smooth and so fast
A business trip faster than the speed of feelings
On a big man's trip, I get the memo last
Talking the talk, I get the memo last
Memento mori, my girl long past
A mop of hair appears in my suitcase
My long gone sweetheart peeks out her cute face
Playful and young as she was in life
Playful and young as she was in '99
Talking the talk, I get the memo last
Memento mori, my girl long past
I thought I buried you
How did I carry you all these years?
I won't break down, won't let the big men see my tears
I buried you deep, deep down in the dirt of years
I won't break down
Fellas, where were we?
Talking the talk so I don't break down
Ten years for a tear to hit the ground
Ten years for a tear to hit the ground
I'm breaking down, I can't talk right
How can you smile?
How can you hide from me like this?
Gutted to the core, I'm breaking down
I'm breaking down
I buried you, I buried you
Ten years deep in dirt
We buried you
Gutted to the core, I'm breaking down
I'm breaking down
Gutted to the core, I'm breaking down
I'm breaking down
I can't talk right
I buried you, I buried you
How can you smile?
How can you hide from me all these years?
Gutted to the core, I'm breaking down
I'm breaking down
How I missed you
I love you, I love you
How I missed you
We buried you, we buried you
I love you, I love you, I love you
Ten years deep in dirt
We buried you, we buried you
Ten years deep
I love you, I love you, I love you
My cries turn to those of 40 children
An unruly class that is my charge
They cry for a man
Not an aged crumbling boy
I hold my tongue and take my wooden club
On each little shoulder, a firm and silent prod
They come to order, one by one
The Mothers silently nod
Singing the song with the old black ladies
I've done my job, the elders nod
Beginning the ride with the wise black ladies
Where were we? All praise be God...