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Heart Knows for Sure

from Skin: Deep by Penelope Swales

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Originally titled "Blue Carrie" this song is about a dear friend of mine who was torn between two loves and didn't know what to do.

lyrics

Heart knows for sure
© Penelope Swales 2007

Oh my friend, it cuts me up
See hear you call in such distress
So lonely and so small
And so distant and so desperate
Where so little of my tenderness
Can reach you
Darlin’ you should know better
Than to think that I’d take sides
In such a personal mess
I long to hold
Your thin body in my arms
And rock you like a child
Lost in the wilderness

Til your heart knows for sure
That this love isn’t a fantasy
How could I ever turn my back
On someone who’s been so good to me?

She says “Oh, Nel. What am I doing?
What have I done?
The more I try to get things right
The more I blunder
And now I’ve gone and hurt everyone
I’ve wanted so much more from life
Than this old friend could give
I thought that I’d made up my mind
But when I came to it,
I just couldn’t do it

Til my heart knows for sure
That this love isn’t a fantasy
How could I ever turn my back
On someone who’s been so good to me?
Who’s been so good to me? Ohh
Oh, Nel.”

Passion holds a pressure like a vice
The crushing weight of need
Well I can’t say I think the new dude’s right
To issue such an ultimatum and cause such a scene
When we demand choices
We also demand sacrifice
But I know you
You’re not capable of the ruthlessness
Required to do what he thinks is right

And all the advantage
That youth, strength and beauty
Could give to a younger man
Will all be effaced by his impatience and his anger
While on the other hand
Your shrewd old dude
Being kind, being wise
Well, he’s not going to force your hand
It gets to him,
But he’ll just sit back and wait for you to understand

Til your heart knows for sure
That his love remains constant and true
And you may endeavour to turn your back
But you know he’s been too good to you
He’s just been too good to you

And she says to me
“Oh, Nel, you know,
I could do worse than stay right here.
And those dreams I had,
Well, I’ve lost my chance
Guess I just have to try
To make things sweet here at home
To make things sweet here at home
To make things sweet here at home
To make things sweet here at home

Though my heart knows for sure
That this love isn’t the place for me
But how can I ever turn my back
On someone who’s been so good to me

And my heart knows for sure
That your love isn’t a fantasy
Through all my errors, all my mistakes
You’ve always been too good to me – ohh..
Oh, Nel..”

credits

from Skin: Deep, released July 1, 2007
Vocals, Guitar - Penelope Swales

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Penelope Swales Boolarra, Australia

Penelope Swales has been articulating the human condition with passion and humour for 30+ years. She sings about politics, love, friendship, the unbreakable bond between us and dogs and the impact of the Internet on society. She won the 2019 Alistair Hulett Songs for Social Justice Award with “Cambridge Analytica”. “The Ides of March in Christchurch" was short-listed for the same award in 2020. ... more

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