Porch Light (from "Live and Unplugged In New York" compilation)

The river that runs through my hometown
used to freeze over in the winter.
We'd go down to the waters edge
with a jug of red wine
And the girl I loved most of my life,
she'd take my hand and with a smile
we'd walk across the water to pass the time.

Her mother would pray with the porch light on so she could find her way.
She said "If you don't believe than how can you make it through, if
there's nothing but lies then how will my children learn to tell the truth.
If you don't believe darling what can you do, cause if nothing really
matters, then what's the use"

About 5 days after I turned 16 she grabbed my face
and swore to me this town will crush the life from all my dreams.
So she stole the keys to her daddy's car
and with fear in her eyes, she begged for my arms,
but no matter what she said, i wasn't ready to leave.

And her father would wait, with the porch light on till she could find her way.
And he'd said "If you don't believe than how can you make it through, if
there's nothing but lies then how will your children learn to tell the
truth. If you don't believe darling what can you do, cause if nothing
really matters, then what's the use"

And the place they say I got my eyes
is from a broken man who never smiled in pictures.
He wouldn't know me on the street
Now you can cross your heart a thousand times
but most nights I'm left here wondering why I ever loved someone
who's so afraid of me.

I'd sit and I'd wait, for the porch light on till she comes back to me
And I'd say, "If you don't believe than how can we make it through, if
there's nothing but lies then how will our children learn to tell the
truth. If you don't believe darling what can we do, cause if nothing
really matters, I said, if nothing really matters, oh love if nothing really
matters, then what's the use?"