My Damn Self

Written 1994

Tab G, open

you gotta sympathize with Jonah, he didn’t want the job that day,
to go tell a bunch of infidels that there was hell to pay,
you know I sympathize with Jonah, ‘cause I’d rather run away, my damn self
you gotta sympathize with Jonah in the belly of the whale
pondering the consequences of jumping ship and turning tail,
you know I sympathize with Jonah, ‘cause I’ve been known to fail, m. d. s.
+++ but I can’t explain why, it’s just this feeling I’ve had
+++ for quite some time that.. maybe things aren’t so bad,
+++ but I can’t hit the broad side of a butterfly, my damn self

you gotta sympathize with all our scary ways of usin’ love
just like a junkie takes a drug, to tuck the pain away,
when I see the things we’ll settle for, all I can do is shrug, my damn self
& you gotta feel for all the folks who’ve found a way to hate,
they get to spread the blame and clear their name while they pontificate,
but as for me, I’m way too busy singin’ songs and sleepin’ late, m. d. s.
+++ CHORUS

you gotta sympathize with Jacob in that cosmic wrestling match,
tryin’ to squeeze a couple answers from that angel in his grasp,
you know I sympathize with Jacob,
+++ always swore there was a catch my damn self

but most of all I sympathize with Peter on the sea,
he took a dozen steps toward Jesus, then sank past his trembling knees,
you know that walking on the water’s never worked too well for me, m. d. s.
+++ CHORUS

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