The One-Line Lyric Challenge

Motherland

Here we have a live performance from a natural born storyteller with a timeless and soulful voice. This album (of the same title) was written a few days before the attacks on September 11th, and was dedicated to the victims.

Merchant was quoted as saying: "It is very strange how events are conspiring to give this song possible new meaning I could never have imagined."

My motherland is currently on fire.

How about yours?

Song Prompt: "Motherland" by Natalie Merchant (Prompt closed)



Lyrics: ▶︎

Where in the hell can you go
Far from the things that you know
Far from the sprawl of concrete that keeps crawling its way
About 1,000 miles a day

Take one last look behind
Commit this to memory and mind
Don't miss this wasteland, this terrible place
When you leave
Keep your heart off your sleeve.

Motherland cradle me
Close my eyes, lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me, don't go
Don't you go

Oh, my five & dime queen
Tell me what have you seen
The lust and the avarice
The bottomless, cavernous greed
Is that what you see?

Oh Motherland cradle me
Close my eyes, lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
stay beside me, don't go

It's your happiness
I want most of all
And for that I'd do anything at all
Oh mercy me!
If you want the best of it
Or the most of all
If there's anything I can do at all

Now come on shot gun bride
What makes me envy your life?
Faceless, nameless, innocent, blameless and free
What's that like to be?

Oh Motherland
Cradle me
Close my eyes, lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me, don't go
Don't go
 

This is a song prompt so you don't have to incorporate any line.