Mary-Go-Round

Verse 1

On a sun-baked afternoon, somewhere outside of town
I merged into a circle and I just keep going round
The signs all say to yield here, but they don't say where to go
Every exit's calling to me, but I'm moving way too slow
I tried to take the first one — something held me back
I tried to take the second — lost my nerve on that
The third one came up fast but there was nowhere left to turn
Now I'm on my seventh lap and I got lessons left to learn
Caught in the roundabout, baby
Spinning round and round and round
No right turn to save me now
Just this endless loop of ground
Yield to the left, yield to the left
That's all they'll let me do
Riding on this merry-go-round, darlin'
You can spin… but you can't get through
I remember when I entered, I had places I could be
Someone waiting on a promise and a life that needed me
But this circle has a hold on me, I feel its asphalt pull
And the miles keep getting longer while the tank runs low on fuel
My compass keeps on spinning, she don't understand
That knowing where you're going doesn't mean you've got a plan
Every exit looks the same now in the dying afternoon light
I been circling all my life now, never once made a right
Caught in the roundabout, baby
Spinning round and round and round
No right turn to save me now
Just this endless loop of ground
Yield to the left, yield to the left
That's all they'll let me do
Riding on this merry-go-round, darlin'
You can spin… but you can't get through
And in the median, a pigeon
Stands and stares right back at me
"You fool," his eyes are saying
"Even I fly free"
Last thing I remember
I was merging in with ease
Told myself this merry-go-round
Won't get the best of me…
You can circle any time you like…
But you can never leave…
(Harmonized "ooohs" — repeat and fade)