Real Love
Big Thief Lyrics

Having a bad week?
Is life bringing you down lately?

Let me touch your cheek
Allow me to offer you comfort and sympathy.

I will always love you
My love for you is steadfast and unwavering.

Having your face hit
Suffering physical harm from a loved one.

Having your lip split
Enduring the pain of an abusive relationship.

By the one who loves you
Betrayed by someone who should care for you.

Real love, real love
True love, genuine and pure.

Real love makes your lungs black
The agony of passion and the weariness of heartbreak.

Real love is a heart attack
The pain of love is akin to the experience of a heart attack.

Showing your mother
Betraying the trust of a parent by exposing them to danger.

To any other, letting them touch her
Allowing someone else to have access to a vulnerable individual.

Looking up to her, watching her do her makeup and hair
Striving to emulate the behaviors and habits of those we admire.

Cry like a bird, fly like a baby
Surrender to your emotions, but approach life with curiosity and wonder.

Mamma got drunk and daddy went crazy
Parents struggling with their own issues, leaving their children to navigate the chaos.

If your speech slurs, if you feel shaky, meet me out back
If you need someone to lean on, I'll be there to offer you support.

I'll be there waiting
I'll be dependable and reliable when you need me.

Riding in the back seat
Passively observing events as they unfold.

Watching the spit fly and the hummingbird cry
Bearing witness to brutality and the suffering of the innocent.

O mamma, o papa
The longing for the care and protection of parents.

How much blood is worth the draw?
What is the price we pay for love, and when is it too high?

Hummingbird watching
Observing the delicate beauty of life.

Watching her young thing
Admiration for the youth, innocence, and vulnerability.

Grow up so fast
The fleeting nature of youth and the relentless progress of time.