Written after a steady diet of Elvis Costello, one of my favorites.
I don’t understand it
It don’t make no sense to me at all
There’s books on the bookshelves
Diplomas on a wall
Well-read, well-traveled
East, west, north and south
Then I listen to the things
That are coming from our mouths
Smart people, stupid words
Smart people, stupid words
You’d think somebody that smart wouldn’t act that way
You’d think that may might have enough sense
To consider what they say
You think we’re getting somewhere
We’re on the right track
Then somebody says something
That they can’t take back
Smart people, stupid words
Smart people, stupid words
Everybody’s been hurt
Everybody’s been burned
You’d think with all this bleeding
There’d be some lessons learned
You read it in the papers
You see it on the TV every day
You know they act so smart
Then you can’t believe the stupid things they say
But don’t misunderstand me, baby
Don’t you get me wrong
Cause we can be that stupid
When we don’t get along
Smart people, stupid words
Smart people, stupid words
© Bill Harley, all rights reserved. Reprints with permission only.