Please don't cry For the ghost and the storm outside Will not invade this sacred shrine Nor infiltrate your mind My life down I shall lie If the bogey-man should try To play tricks on your sacred mind To tease, torment, and tantalize Wavering shadows loom A piano plays in an empty room There'll be blood on the cleaver tonight And when darkness lifts and the room is bright I'll still be by your side, for you are all that matters And I'll love you to till the day I die There never need belonging in your eyes As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine Ceiling shadows shimmy by And when the wardrobe towers like a beast of prey There's sadness in your beautiful eyes Oh, your untouched, unsoiled, wondrous eyes My life down I shall lie Should restless spirits try To play tricks on your sacred mind I once had a child, and it saved my life And I never even asked his name I just looked into his wondrous eyes And said, "Never, never, never again" And all too soon I did return Just like a moth to a flame So rattle my bones all over the stones I'm only a beggar-man whom nobody owns Oh, see how words as old as sin Fit me like a glove I'm here and here I'll stay Together we lie, together we pray There never need belonging in your eyes As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine As long as the hand that rocks the cradle is mine, mine Climb up on my knee, sonny boy Although you're only three, sonny boy You're, you're mine And your mother, she just never knew Oh, your mother As long, as long, as long I did my best for her I did my best for her As long, as long, as long as, as long I did my best for her I did my best for her Mother, mother Mo-mo-mo-mo

He got here and wrinkled scared and cryin' Then she took him up and held him to her breast And he sure was glad to get what mama offered Then he went to sleep and put his fears to rest It didn't seem to matter what he needed He could always count on mama to supply And regardless of the sleep she might be losin' He always found a twinkle in her eye There ought to be a hall of fame for mamas Creation's most unique and precious pearl And heaven help us always to remember That the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world She taught him all the attributes of greatness That she knew he couldn't learn away from home And by the time she wore the cover off her Bible Her hair was gray and her little man was gone There ought to be a hall of fame for mamas Creation's most unique and precious pearl And heaven help us always to remember That the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world Yes, the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world

I just can't let it be when everything's alright Cos there's a part of me always has to start a fight Love's bitter mystery - hurts the one you need It's a devil inside of me that takes control It bites the hand that feeds Last night just one word I threw it all away I wish you'd never heard And that I could turn the clocks back for one day Love's bitter mystery hurts the one you need It's a devil inside of me that takes control It bites the hand that feeds Hurts the one hurts the one you need Bites the hand that feeds Bite the hand bite the hand that feeds Hurts the one you need I want to turn on this control I know it leads to self destruction Turn it on tree my soul I won't slave to these obstructions Love's bitter mystery hurts the one you need It's a devil inside of me that takes control It bites the hand that feeds Love's bitter mystery hurts the one you need It's a devil inside of me that takes control It bites the hand that feeds Hurts the one hurts the one you need Bites the hand that feeds Bite the hand bite the hand that feeds Hurts the one you need Hurts the one hurts the one you need Bites the hand that feeds

I'm in you You're in me I can't tell You're so cruel More than me It is true (that's right) Loyal to only you Up your sleeve I want some Of all of you Trickin' me First it giveth Then it taketh away First it giveth Then it taketh away First it giveth Then it taketh away First it giveth Then it taketh away, ah, oh, oh, oh I would beg I would plead I would shake On a hook Dangling By the way I'm so young and beautiful I'm no fool Time goes by Tables turn Now I know First it giveth Then it taketh away First it giveth Then it taketh away, ah First it giveth Then it taketh away First it giveth Then it taketh away, ah First it giveth Then it taketh away First it giveth Then it taketh away Away Away Oh, oh