Laurie Anderson
Speechless
It was August
Summer of '82
You had that rusty old car
And me?
I had nothing better to do
You picked me up
We hit the road
Baby, me and you

We shot out of town
Drivin' fast and hard
Leaving our greasy skid marks in people's back yards

We were goin' nowhere
Just driving around
We were goin' in circles
And me?
I was just hanging on

Like in that Annie Dillard book
Where she sees that eagle
With the skull of a weasel hanging from its neck
Here's how it happened; listen:

Eagle bites the weasel
Weasel bites back
They fly up to nowhere
Weasel keeps hangin' on
Together, forever
We were goin' nowhere
Just drivin' around
You did all the talking
And me?
I didn't make a sound
And if I open my mouth now
I'll fall to the ground

And if I open my mouth now
There's so much I'd say
Like I can never be honest
Like I'm in it for the thrill
Like I never loved anyone
And I never will

Eagle bites the weasel
Weasel bites back
They fly up to nowhere
Weasel keeps hangin' on
Together, forever

I remember that old coat
My grandma used to wear
Made of weasels
Biting each other's tails
A vicious circle
An endless ride
On the back of an old woman
Eagle bites the weasel
Weasel bites back
They fly up to nowhere
Weasel keeps hangin' on
Together, forever

And me?
I'm goin' in circles
Just circlin' around
And if I open my mouth now
I'll fall to the ground