Warning Signs

This song emerged from a convergence of two events: Valentine’s Day was coming and we were assigned the task of writing a love-related song for our songwriting workshop, and my 94 year-old mother recounted a dream in which she was looking for her lost love. In her dream, after looking everywhere, someone says they have her love’s phone number. She stares at the number, and realizes that it spells “train wreck.” I hope you like it.

Anne Page McClard · Warning Signs

Lyrics

The day we met, you wrote your number
In the palm of my hand with a Sharpie
You drew a heart with an arrow through
You said it was a permanent tattoo

That black bleeding heart and number
Are etched into the derma of my mind
The warning signs were written clear
Should have felt a little fear
Should have seen what was coming down the line

Ohhhhh…. I’ve got you under my skin,
I’ve got you under my skin,
but you won’t let me in
No you won’t let me in

The other day, I gave you my heart
I painted it by hand in water color
Red, pink, & sky a cerulean hue
It said “Don’t be blue, cause I love you.”

I dreamed I called you on the telephone
I saw your number on the palm of my hand
Eight-seven-two, four-six-nine, seven-three-two-five
It spelled “train wreck,” it was a train wreck