Billy Bragg
"Must I Paint You A Picture?"


It's bad timing and me
We find a lot of things out this way
And there's you
A little black cloud in a dress
The temptation
To take the precious things we have apart
To see how they work
Must be resisted for they never fit together again

If this is rain let it fall on me and drown me
If these are tears let them fall

Must I paint you a picture
About the way that I feel?
You know my love for you is strong, girl
You know my love for you is real

It took a short walk and a talk
To change the rules of engagement
While you searched frantically for reverse
And them claiming
LyricsThat virtue never tested is no virtue at all
And so I lost my ignorance
And now the bells across the river chime out your name
I look across to them again

Must I paint you a picture
About the way that I feel?
You know my love for you is strong, girl
You know my love for you is real

All your friends said come down
It will never fly
And on that imperfect day
We threw it all away
Crisis after crisis
With such intensity
This would never happen if we lived by the sea

Most important decisions in life
Are made between two people in bed
I found that out at my expense
And when I see you
You just turn around and walk away like we never met
Oh we used to be so brave

I dreamt the world stopped turning as we climbed the hill
I dreamt impossible dreams that we were lovers still

Must I paint you a picture
About the way that I feel?
You know my love for you is strong, girl
You know my love for you is real
(repeat to end)