When I Say Wife

(album: Having A Party With Jonathan Richman - 1991)

When I say "wife"
It's 'cause I can't find another word
For the way we be
But "wife" sounds like your mortgage, hm
"Wife" sounds like laundry

When I say "wife"
It's 'cause I can't find another word
For the way we are
But "wife" sounds like your mortgage
And sounds like the family car

Well, the tax form comes and I fill out "married"
'Cause I know what they're looking for
But I'm telling you that I'm just a person
Same as I was before

When I say "wife"
It's 'cause if you said "lover" every day
You're gonna begin to gag
But wife sounds like your mortgage
Sounds like the laundry bag

Well, the tax form comes, fill out "married"
A technicality
But I'm telling you that I'm not married
I'm not single, I'm still me

I say "wife"
Because it stops all talk right away
About the way we be
But "wife" sounds like your mortgage
And "wife" sounds like laundry