What The Words Meant

The first time I heard it
 Didn't know what it was
 I listened to it over and over
 I couldn't get enough
 I knew every syllable
 And the space in between
 And I wondered
 What my own song would be
 I thought I understood what the words meant
 I thought I knew the meaning behind
 I memorized the sounds and the rhythms
 And wondered about the stories inside
 I thought I understood what the words meant
 I thought that they were written for me
 A message spelled out in a language
 That only those who have been there
 Been there can read
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 The first time I heard it
 Didn't know what it was
 It was foreign and angry and brilliant
 I couldn't get enough
 But the story behind it
 You revealed it to me
 And I realized
 You had lived through what I had never seen
 I never understood what the words meant
 I never knew the meaning behind
 I memorized the sounds and the rhythms
 But didn't know the stories inside
 I never understood what the words meant
 The words were never written for me
 A message spelled out in a language
 That only those who have been there
 Been there can read
 ♪
 I wish I didn't know what the words meant
 Or understand the meaning behind
 I memorized the sounds and the rhythms
 And now I know the stories inside
 I wish I didn't know what the words meant
 That they were written for me
 A message spelled out in a language
 That only those who have been there
 Been there can read
 Been there
 Been there can read
 Been there
 Been there can read