Josh Ritter

Man Burning


Don't stand so close to me
Don't be another tragedy
I've burned everybody who had a hand to lend
A man burning at both ends
No one put me in this hell
I lit a fire underneath myself
Now I'm blazing the same old trail back to you again
A man burning at both ends
A dangerous thing to know about
No painless way to put me out
You either make a bed that's cold
Or you're walking barefoot over coals
I regret the things I've done
Bitter words and fiery tongues
And letters burned to smoke and then turned to wind
A man burning at both ends
A dangerous thing to know about
No painless way to put me out
You either make a bed that's cold
Or you're walking barefoot over coals
We ran barefoot through the reeds
Wetted down and with the need
The tide though high and getting higher
Could not put out the man on fire
Look look look look look down your street for me
Look look look look look up your the window please
You'll see a light where before no light had been
A man burning at both ends