Internal Criminal
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Internal Criminal is one of those songs that took me years to write. When my little sister first saw the lyrics in the first stanza, she thought it should be a fast song. I couldn’t make it one, though. I think my pulse is slower than most folks’.
I love the historical allusions in this one.
Internal Criminal
Shame your accuser whispers within,
“Won’t nobody touch you now;
no telling where your heart has been.”
Oh, for some strong man to bind up your mind,
break through your bolted doors, tell you that all your thoughts are lies
and let you sleep where willows weep
and no one knows your name.Down in the shadows you cower in fright,
you’d creep from the darkness
if you weren’t so scared of the light.
scared of exposure, scared to be known
frightened by your own shadow, you’re scared to be alone,
and while you hide, all hope has died,
cause no one knows your name.Your soul is a city besieged on each side
four bloodthirsty columns surround you
and there’s a fifth inside
cowards and traitors who shoot from the dark,
Benedicts, internal criminals hiding in your heart.
Must you fight alone tonight
where no one knows your name?
