Dar Williams
Lyric guide

When It Gets That Way

Read When It Gets That Way lyrics by Dar Williams on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: Dar Williams Canonical path: /dar-williams/when-it-gets-that-way Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

When It Gets That Way

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When I want to go somewhere, I don't ask forgiveness

I just go where I like, and he knows that.

I walk alone into any party, I'm alone tonight

In that high-heeled ego old hat.

Oh blue night, laughter at the bell toll.

People move like streaks of charcoal.

Someone found a prince in the punchbowl.

But high times fizzle out in a change of heart,

And we know things fall apart.

The morning's off to a bad start.

It's raining. Have you had nights like this?

I run miles to his place, wake him up to look at his face.

I feel astray, and I love it when it gets that way.

The child is so young, they say that child is truly free

And with a mind of perpetual invention.

So why is it now I'm a grown-up, all grown up

And yet now I fly through the ceilings of convention?

Oh new friend, borne out of a mind-cloud.

Make believe and yet I laugh aloud.

I've cried when you have stood ground.

But sometimes playtimes are a ghost I've faced,

In that room that I've erased.

The air is empty and druglaced.

I am completely gone. Are you still with me, then?

With my head so big and awfully,

Take my hand and lead me softly,

And then you stay, and I love it when it gets that way.

And when I was crazy maybe I wanted, I wanted, I wanted to be steady as an iceberg,

And with nowhere fast a-going.

Now, now I can handle the danger zone with hailstones all a-flying,

And the crazy winds a-blowing.

These days I haven't been smoking my lungs brown,

Have that itch to turn my life around,

Maybe move on to a new town.

Cause good friends lifted me out of an early tomb.,

Pulled my life out from its doom,

Like sun into a big room

And where my roots have grown.

I really can't let go

Through the woods and through the fields climb

Up the mountain into nighttime,

Into the day, and I love it when it gets that way.

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Who performs "When It Gets That Way"?

Dar Williams performs "When It Gets That Way", and this lyric page sits inside the Dar Williams catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "When It Gets That Way"?

Yes. The related section below points to Calamity John and Playing To The Firmament with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Dar Williams?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Dar Williams's lyric pages.

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