Tattoo
Janis Ian"Tattoo" is a song by Janis Ian, released in 1993 in the Pop genre. The song is 3:52 long and contains 39 lines and 212 words.
Lyrics
0:13Her new name was tattooed to her wrist
0:16It was longer than the old one
0:22Sealed in the silence with a fist
0:26This night will be a cold one
0:32Centuries live in her eyes
0:37Destiny laughs over jack-booted thighs
0:42'Work makes us free' says the sign
0:45Nothing leaves here alive
0:56Tattoo
1:09She steps out of line to the left
1:12And her father to the right
1:19One sides a cold clean death
1:23The other is an endless night
1:29Gold from a grandmother's tooth
1:34Mountains of jewelry and toys
1:38Piled in the corners mailed across the borders
1:43Presents for the girls and boys
1:48Presents for the girls and boys
1:52Tattoo
2:06And it gets darker every night
2:11Spread-eagled out among the stars she says
2:16“Somewhere in this tunnel lives a light
2:20Still my beating heart
2:26I have never known a man
2:31What man will want me now
2:36Am I still alive somehow
2:41If I can survive somehow
2:46Tattooed”
3:10Soldiers from the other side
3:13Liberated them at dawn
3:20Gave her water gave her life
3:23She still had all her clothes on
3:29She lived until she died
3:34Empty as the autumn leaves that fly
3:39Surgeons took the mark
3:41But they could not take it far
3:44It was written on her heart
3:49Written on her empty heart
3:52Tattooed
Her new name was tattooed to her wrist It was longer than the old one Sealed in the silence with a fist This night will be a cold one Centuries live in her eyes Destiny laughs over jack-booted thighs 'Work makes us free' says the sign Nothing leaves here alive Tattoo She steps out of line to the left And her father to the right One sides a cold clean death The other is an endless night Gold from a grandmother's tooth Mountains of jewelry and toys Piled in the corners mailed across the borders Presents for the girls and boys Presents for the girls and boys Tattoo And it gets darker every night Spread-eagled out among the stars she says “Somewhere in this tunnel lives a light Still my beating heart I have never known a man What man will want me now Am I still alive somehow If I can survive somehow Tattooed” Soldiers from the other side Liberated them at dawn Gave her water gave her life She still had all her clothes on She lived until she died Empty as the autumn leaves that fly Surgeons took the mark But they could not take it far It was written on her heart Written on her empty heart Tattooed
Translation
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