Glass Teeth

(low organ, slow guitar, a soft crackle like old vinyl)

Mmm…

Yeah…

Funny thing about mirrors…

They always tell the truth too late…

⸻

I learned young how to grin through the damage

How to laugh when the room turned cold

White-haired devil in a cheap salvation

Young face, but my blood runs old

Got these hands full of midnight residue

Black stains no soap can clean

Folks love a pretty little disaster

Long as they don’t gotta hear him scream

⸻

So come closer

Baby, look real deep

Tell me what you see behind these…

⸻

Glass teeth

Smilin’ sharp at everybody

Glass teeth

Cut the ones who try to love me softly

I shine silver

But the crack runs underneath

Kiss me careful, darlin’

With these glass teeth

⸻

Had a brother wore my face like moonlight

Same bones, same wicked grin

Funny how death takes the better dancers

Leaves the stubborn ones to learn to pretend

Now I talk to ghosts in empty hallways

Leave the porch light burnin’ low

Like some part of me still hears footsteps

From a boy who ain’t comin’ home

⸻

Glass teeth

Smilin’ sharp at everybody

Glass teeth

Cut the ones who try to love me softly

I shine silver

But the crack runs underneath

Lord have mercy…

With these glass teeth

⸻

(slow crying guitar solo / organ swelling / brush drums)

⸻

And I know what lives behind the glass

I fed it pieces just to make it pass

Gave it laughter

Gave it rage

Gave it every goddamn younger age

Still you touched my face

Like I was somethin’ worth savin’

Lord…

That’s the cruelest kind of grace

⸻

Glass teeth

Still smilin’ though they’re breakin’

Glass teeth

Lord, I’m so damn tired of fakin’

I shine silver

But the dark don’t ever sleep

If you wanna love me, honey…

You better love

These Glass teeth

⸻

(voice nearly spoken)

Funny thing about mirrors…

They don’t break because they’re weak.

They break…

‘cause eventually

they’ve seen too much.