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Words from the artist’s archive
What Holds It Up 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
She wrote 98 on a napkin, slid it past the salt "Two parents beat a diploma." He said, "That is not all." The room leaned toward the number. Numbers look so sure. She tapped the empty chair. He pointed at the plant next door.
Verse 1
She said, "One rent, two grown folks, two alarms at six One checks the math, one takes the fever shift If one check stops on Friday, one may buy some time If one heart starts to slip, one sees the warning sign A ring cannot make folks kind; two can tear a home in two I mean the safe pair that sees the hard year through Across each shade and ZIP, the chart keeps this in view A safe two-parent home brings more than cash can do"
Chorus
What builds a house? What holds it up? Four hands at a table, or the hand they dealt us? Count the chairs, count the checks, count the years folks moved around Two may stop the weather - one gone shakes the ceiling down?
Verse 2
He said, "A chart can count the roof and miss the storm outside The plant shut down, pay sank, the cell doors multiplied Banks drew lines; the school got tied to land and tax Then folks saw one weak beam and blamed the whole collapse When work won't pay enough to plan, the vows get pushed When jail takes years, one name leaves the Census book Two grown folks help, I grant it. That part is not in doubt. But count what hit the father before you count the father out"
Verse 3
She flipped the napkin. "Read the rows that built the house an claim: School, full-time work, then wed past 21, did the kid get blame Folks who cleared all three were rarely poor, thats fame." He said, "When mom and dad came through three doors, kids no shame." Good schools lead to jobs; good jobs make vows less hard, yup less blame She said, "Three doors can work as one. Even if dads not there." He said, "A map can show the path and hide who paved the lane." They drew rings around the facts, then arrows toward the blame
Bridge
Census page: who lived where, what year, what race. Income page: who worked, who fell below the line. No box says what moved first.
Chorus
What builds a house? What holds it up? Four hands at a table, or the hand they dealt us? Count the chairs, count the checks, count the years folks moved around Two may stop the weather - one gone shakes the ceiling down?
Verse 4
She said, "Policy can't tuck a child in or come home at ten A law can't make a father call or want to walk back in Folks teach what folks praise; that turns to what kids choose If staying gets no honor, leaving starts to look cool" He said, "Law can move the work, the rent, the cell, the school A thumb upon the scale can dress a trap up as a rule You say the home shapes kids; I say the street shapes homes The choice may bear a name and still not stand alone"
Chorus
What builds a house? What holds it up? Four hands at a table, or the hand they dealt us? Count the chairs, count the checks, count the years folks moved around Two may stop the weather - one gone shakes the ceiling down?
Verse 5
At 6:40, two doors opened on one hall One dad packed lunch; next door, one mother took the call Her sister braided hair while grandma found the shoe The form said "single parent." The kitchen answered, "Who?" Downstairs, two rings could not make that home feel safe Upstairs, dad lived elsewhere, paid and came each day The kids met at the bus, both late, both looking down Each wore one clean check mark no life could fit around
Chorus
What builds a house? What holds it up? Four hands at a table, or the hand they dealt us? Count the chairs, count the checks, count the years folks moved around Two may stop the weather - one gone shakes the ceiling down?
Inside the recording
She wrote 98 on a napkin, slid it past the salt "Two parents beat a diploma." He said, "That is not all."
What builds a house? What holds it up? Four hands at a table, or the hand they dealt us?
What builds a house? What holds it up? Four hands at a table, or the hand they dealt us?
Excerpts from artist-supplied lyric files matched by title. Lyric sheets may differ from the released performance.