From the recording Words
"Words" began as a song and has developed into a personal movement and basis for spreading a positive message through my work. Scribbled down the verses in less than 10 minutes, then it sat for a while. I tried it out at shows, but it never took shape until my good friend, and musical collaborator, Scott Low, suggested I throw in a "Bm" and to focus on coming up with one line to tie it all together, and "Words" was finished.
I wanted to write a song that did not add to the melancholy of the world, but served as a reminder to myself and to any who listen that our daily reality is based upon what we say and what we allow ourselves to think. I wrote this song angry about the self-absorption that seems to have overcome our generation. Humans in this age are extremely sensitive, and at the same time say extremely insensitive things. The lyrics are essentially my own realization that we do not listen as much as we speak, and type. This song became part of my personal journey to remember to choose my thoughts and words more carefully.
The words we think, the words we speak, the words we don't, are all a part of a bigger picture. They resonate in the universe reverberating back to us in whatever way we throw them out. There is so much power in a word, and the absence of them. They can be used to create joy, laughter, loving environments, sadness, rage, guilt... there is no stopping a word from changing something in some way. When I choose to think or say something, this song reminds me to pause and be sure it is something I want in my head and that I want coming from my mouth. I am hoping it can do the same for listeners. #words
Lyrics
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL I KNOW YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM
I KNOW IT’S JUST YOUR WAY
THE NEXT THING THE SONG THE NEXT WORD YOU WANNA SAY
SPEWING WITH PASSION YOUR LIPS BLEED COLD
FROM SPEAKING WASTED WORDS THAT NEVER GET OLD
AND YOU THINK YOU HARBOR SECRETS THAT NO ONE EVEN SEES
BUT YOU WEAR THEM ON YOUR PERFUME THAT GETS STRONGER WHEN YOU BLEED
AND YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
AND THROW AWAY THAT APPLE THAT RIPS OUT EVERY TOOTH
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
OR THROW AWAY THAT RED LACE THAT WRAPS AROUND YOUR SUIT
THERE’S NO ALTERCATION WHEN ALL YOU SEE IS GREY
NO SALVATION NO REDEMPTION IN SOMEONE ELSES CAVE
OH WORDS THAT…AD LIB…~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY (x2)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL I KNOW YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM
I KNOW IT’S JUST YOUR WAY
THE NEXT THING THE SONG THE NEXT WORD YOU WANNA SAY
SPEWING WITH PASSION YOUR LIPS BLEED COLD
FROM SPEAKING WASTED WORDS THAT NEVER GET OLD
AND YOU THINK YOU HARBOR SECRETS THAT NO ONE EVEN SEES
BUT YOU WEAR THEM ON YOUR PERFUME THAT GETS STRONGER WHEN YOU BLEED
AND YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
AND THROW AWAY THAT APPLE THAT RIPS OUT EVERY TOOTH
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
OR THROW AWAY THAT RED LACE THAT WRAPS AROUND YOUR SUIT
THERE’S NO ALTERCATION WHEN ALL YOU SEE IS GREY
NO SALVATION NO REDEMPTION IN SOMEONE ELSES CAVE
OH WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HATE
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU CRY
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU CRAWL UP IN A CORNER AND ASK WHY
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HEAL
AND WORDS THAT MKAE YOU HEAR
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU WISH THAT YOU WERE SOMEONE ELSE'S FEAR
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HARD
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU SING
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO FORGET EVERY GOD DAMN THING
OH WORDS...
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL I KNOW YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM
I KNOW IT’S JUST YOUR WAY
THE NEXT THING THE SONG THE NEXT WORD YOU WANNA SAY
SPEWING WITH PASSION YOUR LIPS BLEED COLD
FROM SPEAKING WASTED WORDS THAT NEVER GET OLD
AND YOU THINK YOU HARBOR SECRETS THAT NO ONE EVEN SEES
BUT YOU WEAR THEM ON YOUR PERFUME THAT GETS STRONGER WHEN YOU BLEED
AND YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
AND THROW AWAY THAT APPLE THAT RIPS OUT EVERY TOOTH
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
OR THROW AWAY THAT RED LACE THAT WRAPS AROUND YOUR SUIT
THERE’S NO ALTERCATION WHEN ALL YOU SEE IS GREY
NO SALVATION NO REDEMPTION IN SOMEONE ELSES CAVE
OH WORDS THAT…AD LIB…~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY (x2)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL I KNOW YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM
I KNOW IT’S JUST YOUR WAY
THE NEXT THING THE SONG THE NEXT WORD YOU WANNA SAY
SPEWING WITH PASSION YOUR LIPS BLEED COLD
FROM SPEAKING WASTED WORDS THAT NEVER GET OLD
AND YOU THINK YOU HARBOR SECRETS THAT NO ONE EVEN SEES
BUT YOU WEAR THEM ON YOUR PERFUME THAT GETS STRONGER WHEN YOU BLEED
AND YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
AND THROW AWAY THAT APPLE THAT RIPS OUT EVERY TOOTH
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
OR THROW AWAY THAT RED LACE THAT WRAPS AROUND YOUR SUIT
THERE’S NO ALTERCATION WHEN ALL YOU SEE IS GREY
NO SALVATION NO REDEMPTION IN SOMEONE ELSES CAVE
OH WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HATE
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU CRY
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU CRAWL UP IN A CORNER AND ASK WHY
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HEAL
AND WORDS THAT MKAE YOU HEAR
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU WISH THAT YOU WERE SOMEONE ELSE'S FEAR
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HARD
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU SING
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO FORGET EVERY GOD DAMN THING
OH WORDS...
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WORDS
(F#m)
(music & lyrics by Betsy Franck 2017)
CH V CH V S CH
chorus intro: Bm A E
solo (Bm F# m x 4 .....Bm A E)
V: F#m A E
CH. Bm A E
V F#m A E
CH
V
SOLO (Bm F# m x 4 .....Bm A E)
CH
(CH/INTRO)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL I KNOW YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM
I KNOW IT’S JUST YOUR WAY
THE NEXT THING THE SONG THE NEXT WORD YOU WANNA SAY
SPEWING WITH PASSION YOUR LIPS BLEED COLD
FROM SPEAKING WASTED WORDS THAT NEVER GET OLD
AND YOU THINK YOU HARBOR SECRETS THAT NO ONE EVEN SEES
BUT YOU WEAR THEM ON YOUR PERFUME THAT GETS STRONGER WHEN YOU BLEED
AND YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
AND THROW AWAY THAT APPLE THAT RIPS OUT EVERY TOOTH
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
OR THROW AWAY THAT RED LACE THAT WRAPS AROUND YOUR SUIT
THERE’S NO ALTERCATION WHEN ALL YOU SEE IS GREY
NO SALVATION NO REDEMPTION IN SOMEONE ELSES CAVE
OH WORDS THAT…AD LIB…~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY (x2)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL I KNOW YOU DON’T MEAN ANY HARM
I KNOW IT’S JUST YOUR WAY
THE NEXT THING THE SONG THE NEXT WORD YOU WANNA SAY
SPEWING WITH PASSION YOUR LIPS BLEED COLD
FROM SPEAKING WASTED WORDS THAT NEVER GET OLD
AND YOU THINK YOU HARBOR SECRETS THAT NO ONE EVEN SEES
BUT YOU WEAR THEM ON YOUR PERFUME THAT GETS STRONGER WHEN YOU BLEED
AND YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
AND THROW AWAY THAT APPLE THAT RIPS OUT EVERY TOOTH
(CH)
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
WELL YOU’D RATHER BE A MYSTERY THAN EVER SPEAK THE TRUTH
OR THROW AWAY THAT RED LACE THAT WRAPS AROUND YOUR SUIT
THERE’S NO ALTERCATION WHEN ALL YOU SEE IS GREY
NO SALVATION NO REDEMPTION IN SOMEONE ELSES CAVE
OH WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HATE
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU CRY
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU CRAWL UP IN A CORNER AND ASK WHY
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HEAL
AND WORDS THAT MKAE YOU HEAR
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU WISH THAT YOU WERE SOMEONE ELSE'S FEAR
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU HARD
AND WORDS THAT MAKE YOU SING
WORDS THAT MAKE YOU WANT TO FORGET EVERY GOD DAMN THING
OH WORDS...
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY
ONLY THINGS YOU SAY…THEY GET IN THE WAY