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Words from the artist’s archive
Open, Close, Double, Off lyrics
Artist-supplied lyric sheet, matched by title. The sheet may differ from this released performance. Production notes and alternate promotional cuts are omitted.
Read the lyric sheet
Intro
Magnet on the fridge... I know the whole week... Open, close, double, off... Watch me.
Verse 1
Monday she open, Tuesday she close Wednesday a double, nobody knows Thursday she open, Friday she close Saturday double, that's how it goes Sunday she off, but the phone might ring I know all her shifts, I know everything Alphabet magnets standing in a row Mama's whole week, top to bottom, watch me go
Pre-chorus
She kiss my head 'fore the sun come up Pour the cereal, fill the cup "Be good for me," that's all she say Door close soft, and she gone for the day
Chorus
Open! she open, Close! she close Double! again, that's how it go She not here but she love me so Read it on the fridge, magnet in a row Overtime, overtime, all for me Mama work the week so I could be Everything she dream, everything she not Every shift is a kiss that I almost forgot
Verse 2
I can cook the rice now, crack my own egg Reach up on the stool, never have to beg She leave me a plate, "heat it up at six" I press the buttons, I got my own fix Two plates in the fridge, one me, one she But she on a double, so it's just me Big man in the kitchen, clean my own bowl Proud I can do it... wish I didn't have to, though
Pre-chorus
She kiss my head 'fore the sun come up Pour the cereal, fill the cup "Be good for me," that's all she say Door close soft, and she gone for the day
Chorus
Open! she open, Close! she close Double! again, that's how it go She not here but she love me so Read it on the fridge, magnet in a row Overtime, overtime, all for me Mama work the week so I could be Everything she dream, everything she not Every shift is a kiss that I almost forgot
Verse 3
New shoes by the door, she ain't say a word Like I'd never notice, like I never heard The light stay on, the rent get paid That's the double talking, that's the overtime made She don't say "I bought this," don't keep no score Just one more shift, then one shift more I count it on the fridge, I do the math Every magnet a mile on my mama's path
Bridge
One day... just one day... No open, no close, no double, no away... One day... just one day... Where the fridge say OFF, and she get to stay...
Verse 4
There it is, OFF, Sunday in the corner Grab my red crayon, draw a circle round her Big circle, can't miss it now Three weeks away but I'm planning it out We gon' get ice cream, we gon' walk the block Sleep in late, no alarm clock Tell everybody, "Sunday she free!" Count it on the fridge, just her and me
Verse 5
Phone ring Saturday, right after the news Somebody sick, Mama got to choose And she don't choose... the schedule choose for her "Cover the shift"... and the Sunday blur I don't cry, I don't make it hard I find my marker, climb up on the chair Cross out Sunday like it was never there Black X, slow... over all that red "Next week", I write it small instead And the marker squeak... squeak... on the fridge.
Chorus
Open! she open, Close! she close Double! again, that's how it go She not here but she love me so Read it on the fridge, magnet in a row Overtime, overtime, all for me Mama work the week so I could be Everything she dream, everything she not Every shift is a kiss that I almost forgot
Outro
Monday she open... Tuesday she close... Wednesday a double... that's how it goes... She not here... but she love me so... Magnet on the fridge... in a row...
Inside the recording
Magnet on the fridge... I know the whole week... Open, close, double, off...
She kiss my head 'fore the sun come up Pour the cereal, fill the cup
Monday she open... Tuesday she close... Wednesday a double... that's how it goes...
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.