About the song
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Words from the artist’s archive
CHAIN LETTER TO THE GLASS 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
Verse 1
On the golden edge where the orange rows end A folded little secret leaves home with a friend One hand makes the mark, one hand seals the sky A third hand learns the route, never learns the why They call it a favor, a ride to the square A chain letter loses a link in the air The porch says, "I sent it"; the room says, "It came" Between those two sentences, who carried the name?
Chorus
Who held the hush between the hand and the hall? A promise can be sealed and not be sealed at all Count on the count, or count who carried the call Who held the hush between the hand and the hall?
Verse 2
At kitchen-table court, the numbers grow teeth A tale wears a badge with no paper underneath One swears a sack vanished, one swears a mark was pressed But rumor is a witness that never takes the test I fear what a favor may ask in return A boss by the doorway, a promise that burns Yet the night nurse at sunrise, the elder alone, May need a good neighbor to carry it on
Chorus
Who held the hush between the hand and the hall? A promise can be sealed and not be sealed at all Count on the count, or count who carried the call Who held the hush between the hand and the hall?
Verse 3
So retire the paper birds, let the glass take the vow Let a face turn the key, let a pulse answer now Let an open book echo from harbor to hill Each page guards the others; no lone hand holds the quill But take me at face value - whose camera is near? Can a thumb pressed by love be a thumb pressed by fear? When the power goes quiet and the network says no Does the citizen vanish from the numbers below?
Bridge
Paper keeps strangers out; glass lets strangers look in A lock can guard the doorway, or hide who holds the pin The narrow road widens, the wide road can bend A chain earns its name when each link names its friend
Chorus
Who held the hush between the hand and the hall? Hide the choice from the crowd, not the trail from us all Count on the count, make the counting account Who held the hush between the hand and the hall?
Outro
Let no borrowed hand answer my call
Inside the recording
On the golden edge where the orange rows end A folded little secret leaves home with a friend
Who held the hush between the hand and the hall? A promise can be sealed and not be sealed at all
Let no borrowed hand answer my call
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.