He can't talk without his hands
Lace Lyrics


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(Giselle Brohman/Jason Barry)
(Track 8 - Time 4:54)

There's a little two-room house just outside of town
With a little picket fence and the blinds pulled down
A wife with two young kids
She sees them off to bed
As she waits for her husband to come home

Lately she's been doing a lot of thinking
About the arguments and why she's hurting
Is it worth the extra mile
To hang on for a little while
When she's had all the heartache she can stand
And her mama's words still echo in her head

Girl, he can't talk without his hands
What's made you stay this long I don't understand
If you leave now you might still have a chance
'Cause girl, he can't talk without his hands

There's a little two-room house just a few miles down
The little girl's grown up and she's married now
Tears on a window pane
With a baby on the way
As she waits for her husband to come home

She calls her mama up on the telephone
She says it's getting dark and I'm all alone
Can we talk for a little while
Mama says what's the matter child
But she knows that her baby's been misled
And her mama's words still echo in her head

She said, girl, he can't talk without his hands
What's made you stay this long I don't understand




If you leave now you might still have a chance
'Cause girl, he can't talk without his hands

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lace's song "He Can't Talk Without His Hands" depict two scenarios in which women are waiting for their husbands to come home. In the first scenario, a wife is contemplating her troubled marriage and her mother's words of warning play in her head. The mother reminds her that her husband can't express himself without using his hands and perhaps, it's time to leave the relationship. In the second scenario, a pregnant woman calls her mother, feeling alone and distrustful of her husband. Her mother again reminds her of the warning and suggests leaving the relationship.


The repeated line "he can't talk without his hands" is a metaphor for a man who can't express himself through words and instead, relies on his physical actions to communicate. The song highlights the importance of communication in a relationship and how it's necessary for partners to be able to express themselves through words. The mother's advice is for the women to leave the relationships before it's too late and before they end up like her.


Overall, the song is a cautionary tale about the dangers of staying in a relationship where communication is lacking and how important it is to listen to one's intuition and the advice of loved ones.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a little two-room house just outside of town
Describing the setting of the story


With a little picket fence and the blinds pulled down
Adding more details on the house's features


A wife with two young kids
Introducing the wife's character and situation


She sees them off to bed
Suggesting a bedtime routine and motherly duties


As she waits for her husband to come home
Setting the scene for the wife's anticipation of her husband's arrival


Lately she's been doing a lot of thinking
Explaining the wife's current state of mind


About the arguments and why she's hurting
Specifying the reason for her contemplation


Is it worth the extra mile
Questioning the wife's motivation to keep going


To hang on for a little while
Explaining what the wife is considering doing


When she's had all the heartache she can stand
Clarifying the wife's emotional state


And her mama's words still echo in her head
Emphasizing the influence of her mother on her thoughts


Girl, he can't talk without his hands
Mama's advice to her daughter about her husband's actions


What's made you stay this long I don't understand
The mother implying that the daughter has stayed too long


If you leave now you might still have a chance
The mother suggesting that leaving could lead to a better future


'Cause girl, he can't talk without his hands
The mother repeating her main point for emphasis and clarity


There's a little two-room house just a few miles down
Introducing a new setting, but related to the previous scene


The little girl's grown up and she's married now
Providing an update on the daughter's life


Tears on a window pane
Describing the current state of the daughter


With a baby on the way
Adding another detail on the daughter's current situation


As she waits for her husband to come home
Making the parallel with the previous scene clear


She calls her mama up on the telephone
Implying the mother-daughter relationship is still strong


She says it's getting dark and I'm all alone
Raising concerns about her safety and well-being


Can we talk for a little while
Describing the daughter's request for emotional support


Mama says what's the matter child
The mother immediately offering her help and attention


But she knows that her baby's been misled
The mother realizing that her daughter is facing a similar situation to hers


And her mama's words still echo in her head
The daughter acknowledging the impact of her mother's advice


She said, girl, he can't talk without his hands
The mother repeating her warning to her daughter


What's made you stay this long I don't understand
The mother expressing her confusion and concern


If you leave now you might still have a chance
The mother offering hope and encouragement


'Cause girl, he can't talk without his hands
The mother closing her message with the same warning as before




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