Valerie

(album: Poletown - 1997)

I smell the incense
And I'm filled with hope
Got the mother and the Holy Ghost
I'm looking for a miracle
A second chance
Yeah I'm getting ready
To do my mercy dance

He's in his stall
Down by St. Joseph's altar
I almost turn around
I nearly falter
But I take my place in line
Enter when it's time
And soon the door slides open

Father, I should come to my senses
I have a good wife
I plead no defenses

But when I look at her
I see Valerie
And when she speaks to me
I hear Valerie

Ain't no good reason
Why a man should wander
From the field he's sewn
But Father
Sometimes the heart has reasons
Which reason does not know

I will not leave my family
It's my kid I have a concern for
But when I hold my wife
It's Valerie I burn for

And if I were to go to hell
Well, that's just the way it's gonna be
'Cause it's gonna take more than three Hail Marys
Before I forget Valerie

And so I live with this sadness
The secret no one knows
Except you father
Just you

Father
Can you make my feelings go away?
I just wanna go home and hug my baby
Tell her everything's gonna be ok

But when I look at her
I see Valerie
And when she speaks to me
I hear Valerie
And when I kiss her lips
I'm kissing Valerie
Father forgive me
I miss my Valerie

She's like a serpent
Crawling through the backwoods
Of my heart
Trying to get the better part
I cannot fight her
When I'm with her I'm on fire
Send out the Devil
Extinguish my desire

Valerie, Valerie, Valerie go
'Cause I'm all mixed up
My head is turned around
I want it both ways
Don't wanna lose a good thing I've found
But I can't run with the fox
And hunt with the hound