Anna Begins

(album: August And Everything After - 1993)

My friend assures me, "It's all or nothing"
I am not worried, I am not overly concerned
My friend implores me, "For one time only
Make an exception" I am not worried

Wrap her up in a package of lies
Send her off to a coconut island
I am not worried
I am not overly concerned

With the status of my emotions
Oh, she says, "You're changing"
But we're always changing
It does not bother me to say

This isn't love
'Cause if you don't wanna talk about it
Then it isn't love
And I guess, I'm gonna have to live with that

But I'm sure there's something in a shade of gray
Or something in between
And I can always change my name
If that's what you mean

My friend assures me, "It's all or nothing"
But I am not really worried
I am not overly concerned

You try to tell yourself the things, you try to tell yourself
To make yourself forget, to make yourself forget
I am not worried

"If it's love," she said
"Then we've gonna have to think about the consequences"
Cause she can't stop shaking
And I can't stop touching her

And this time, when kindness falls like rain
It washes her away
And Anna begins to change her mind

"These seconds when I'm shaking
Leave me shuddering for days," she says
And I'm not ready for this sort of thing

But I'm not gonna break
And I'm not gonna worry about it anymore
I'm not gonna bend and I'm not gonna break
Gonna worry about it anymore
No, no, no, no, no

It seems like I should say
"As long as this is love"
But it's not all that easy, so maybe I should

Snap her up in a butterfly net
And pin her down on a photograph album
I am not worried
'Cause I've done this sort of thing before

But then I start to think about the consequences
'Cause I don't get no sleep in a quiet room

And this time, when kindness falls like rain
It washes me away
And Anna begins to change my mind

Every time she sneezes, I believe it's love
And oh, Lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing

She's talking in her sleep
It's keeping me awake
And Anna begins to toss and turn

And every word is nonsense, but I understand
And oh, Lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing

Her kindness bangs a gong
It's moving me along
And Anna begins to fade away

It's chasing me away, she disappears
And oh, Lord, I'm not ready for this sort of thing