Swizzle Stick

YOU SLIPPED OUT OF SOMEBODY’S HAND IN 1963
HE WAS HANGING ‘ROUND A PIANO THAT NOW BELONGS TO ME
I FOUND YOU WHERE YOU FELL WHEN HE KISSED GOD KNOWS WHO
IF HE’D LEFT YOU IN HIS MOUTH I WOULD NOT BE HOLDING YOU

LITTLE SWIZZLE STICK, YOU’RE BEAUTFUL AND FREE
YOU DON’T HAVE A HEART TO BREAK, YOU DON’T KNOW MISERY
YOU DON’T KNOW DRUNKEN MOTHERS OR THE SONS THEY LEAVE BEHIND
YOU’RE A LUCKY LITTLE SWIZZLE STICK, BORN WITHOUT A MIND

SWIZZLE STICK, SWIZZLE STICK
MY LITTLE SWIZZLE STICK
EVERYTHING GOES AROUND TOO QUICK
SWIZZLE STICK

RAY WALTER’S STABLES, WASHINGTON D.C.
THOSE WORDS ARE TATOOED ON YOU LIKE A MESSAGE JUST FOR ME
PLASTIC STICK OR FLESH AND BONE, WE’RE ALL THE SAME
WE’RE ALL BUILT TO SERVE, BUT YOU DON’T FEEL MY PAIN

LITTLE SWIZZLER, I RESPECT THE WAY YOU FARED
LOST IN MY PIANO, YOU FOUND PEACE IN THERE
TEACH ME TO ACCEPT THE THINGS I CANNOT CHANGE
TEACH ME TO FORGIVE MYSELF WHEN I LOSE MY WAY

LIFE IS JUST A DRINK… TIME IS JUST A GLASS
WE ALL NEED REMINDING NOT TO DRINK IT DOWN SO FAST
LOVE IS HOW WE TASTE IT… AND WE TASTE WHAT WE DESERVE
AND WE ALL GET LOST LIKE SWIZZLE STICKS LEARNING HOW TO STIR

RAY WALTER’S STABLES AT 2120 P.
HAS GONE THE WAY OF EVERY BAR IN DOWNTOWN D.C.
AND I FORGIVE THAT DRUNK, I’LL LEAVE THINGS AS THEY WERE
MY PAST IS JUST A DRINK I DON’T NEED TO STIR

SWIZZLE STICK, SWIZZLE STICK
MY LITTLE SWIZZLE STICK
EVERYTHING GOES AROUND SO QUICK
MY SWIZZLE STICK

SWIZZLE STICK, SWIZZLE STICK
CHAMPAGNE SPARKLE SWIZZLE STICK
EVERYTHING GOES AROUND TOO QUICK
MY SWIZZLE STICK

@Ben Mason 2019