Reconstruction Site
The Weakerthans Lyrics

Well, I'm lost, I'm afraid
I'm feeling directionless and scared

Rope tying down a leaky boat
Trying to hold together something that's falling apart

To the roof of a car on the road in the dark
Traveling blindly and with uncertainty

And it's snowing
Things are getting worse and more difficult

If I'm more, then it means less
Sometimes gaining more knowledge or experience can leave you feeling more alone

Last call for happiness
Time is running out to find joy

I'm your dress near the back of your knees
I'm something that's clinging to you and weighing you down

And your slip is showing
I'm exposing your vulnerabilities and insecurities

I'm a float in a summer parade
I'm a fleeting moment of happiness and celebration

Up the street in the town that you were born in
A nostalgic moment that can never be fully relived

With a girl at the top wearing tulle
A symbol of perfection that is unattainable

And a Miss Somewhere sash
An arbitrary label or accomplishment

Waving like the queen
Putting on an image of confidence and control, even when feeling lost

Beauty's just another word
The concept of beauty is subjective and doesn't always bring happiness

I'm never certain how to spell
Uncertainty and confusion about what truly matters

Go tell the nurse to turn the TV back on
Distracting oneself from personal struggles and pain with mindless entertainment

And throw away my misery
Trying to discard or ignore one's problems

It never meant that much to me
Acknowledging that certain things you once cared about no longer hold significance

It never sent a Get Well card
The pain and struggles one faces are often ignored and not addressed by others

And I broke, like a bad joke somebody's uncle told
Reaching a breaking point and feeling like a joke or failure

At a wedding reception in 1972
A specific moment in time that's forever remembered

Where a little boy under a table with cake in his hair
A moment of innocence and carefree joy

Stared at the grown-up feet as they danced and swayed
Observing the complexities and confusion of adulthood

And his father laughed and talked on the long ride home
The distractions and superficiality of everyday life

And his mother laughed and talked on the long ride home
The disconnection between family members and their emotions

And he thought about how everyone dies someday
The inevitability of death and the fleeting nature of life

And when tomorrow gets here, where will yesterday be?
The constant forward motion of time, leaving memories and experiences in the past

And fell asleep in his brand new winter coat
Finding comfort or security in material possessions

Buy me a shiny new machine
The belief that buying something new will bring happiness and fulfillment

That runs on lies and gasoline
The cost of convenience and the problematic nature of our society's reliance on fossil fuels

And all those batteries we stole from smoke alarms
The small ways we contribute to the destruction of our environment

And disassembles my despair
The temptation to hide or ignore our struggles rather than facing them head-on

It never took me anywhere
Acknowledging that material possessions and external factors won't bring happiness or fulfillment

It never once bought me a drink
The temporary and ultimately unfulfilling nature of material possessions