Cotton Alley Lyrics

[ music: John Lombardo/lyric: Natalie Merchant ]



one time 
you made me cry 
be proud that I 
remember 

my chin is sore 
the bruise is gone 
but the spot is tender 

gave my hand a sister coy 
to Cotton Alley where 
you did enjoy 
your wicked games 
you curious boy 

tied my laces up together 
when I fell 
you laughed 
until your belly was sore 

in the brick laid aisle behind 
the five and dime store 

that's how 
I made you blush 
but doubt if you 
remember 

were my tears genuine 
or those of a skilled 
pretender 

nothing precious 
plain to see 
don't make a fuss over me 
not loud 
not soft 
but somewhere in between 
say sorry 
let it be 
the word you mean 

I was a little pest who 
never took a hint 
could never 
take a hint 

you pinched my fingers 
in a door 
tossed my coloring book in a 
rusty barrel 

pulled spiders from my hair 
fingers in the door 

my favorite blue blouse 
stained on the back 
running from a berry war 

can you hear me scream 
in Cotton Alley 
scream in Cotton Alley 
in Cotton Alley