New Tattoo

You got a new tattoo

And you bought a nice pair of shoes

To remind you who you used to be

When life was somethin' brand new

'Cause now you sleep a little lighter at night

And you wake up when the sky gets light

And crawl into the kitchen at dawn

And tell yourself it's alright

You swore you didn't want strings attached

And to be tethered to the telephone

But now there's no one here to talk to

And you prefer to sleep alone

All the chances that you couldn't take

Mistakes that you couldn't afford to make

Well, what would it have cost you?

When you had a new tattoo

And you were only twenty-two

You had a hole in your shirt

But there was nothin' that you couldn't do

Now you're standin' in the vestibule

Wonderin' how they got the best of you

Now that you do your own laundry

Now that there's always somethin' pressin' you

You swore you didn't want strings attached

And to be tethered to the telephone

And now there's no one here to talk to

And you prefer to sleep alone

All them chances that you couldn't take

Mistakes that you couldn't afford to make

Well, what would it have cost you?

Well, your daddy's gonna cover your way

And Mom is gonna say it's okay

When you call 'em every Monday at nine

And tell 'em that it's goin' fine

All your friends, they just exhaust you

You coulda left, but where would you go off to?

Oh, and what would it have cost you?

See you got a new tattoo

To make you feel somethin' new

The sign of a cross on your thigh

And you don't even really know why

But you're hopin' that it marks the end

Of a time that you could just forget

So you call it a draw for the night

And you tell yourself it's alright