I have this new tattoo of which the story must be told
|
About the night I almost overdosed ten years ago
|
I woke up in the hospital with skin clammy and cold
|
And tubes in my urethra, down my throat, and up my nose
|
My friends and the doctors were all shocked I wasn't dead
|
That's when Katrina looked at me and this is what she said
|
|
Walk like thunder
|
Walk like thunder
|
Walk like thunder
|
Walk like thunder
|
|
So I walked to the rebel spot, I walked all over uptown
|
I walked right side up and I walked upside down
|
I walked to Chetzemoka with my eyes fixed on the ground yeah
|
We walked all over Chetze Beach and kept the rocks we found
|
Then I walked back to my parents' house, I walked back to my old bed yeah
|
I walked back and I walked fast past all the voices in my head
|
I walked with the sweats and I walked with the chills
|
I walked in New York City and I walked in Bedford Hills
|
I walked into open mic nights and I walked into the rooms
|
I walked feeling optimistic and I walked feeling doomed
|
I walked with some mama's boys and I walked with some punks
|
I walked dressed up like a rabbit, I walked dressed up like a skunk
|
I walked with some givers and I walked with some leeches
|
I walked all by myself and I walked with the Moldy Peaches
|
I walked all over the world so I could sing my songs to you
|
And to your most desperate emails I said, a¢æ©«This is what I do.a¢æ?
|
|
I Walk like thunder
|
Walk like thunder
|
Walk like thunder
|
Walk like thunder
|
|
But at some point I got so comfortable
|
That I didn't even realise that I'd started to crawl
|
That my old friend Ammi died at 37 of a heart attack
|
And I cracked cause people my age are not supposed to die like that
|
No no no no people my age are not supposed to die like that
|
He was the old manager of the sidewalk cafA¨Ï
|
That place was a second home to me, it's where I learned to play
|
And his personality really helped create a space
|
Where a bunch of honest misfits could all gather and feel safe
|
He was a cynic, a supporter, he was crazy, he was queer
|
He'd either yell out, a¢æ©«Cut the bullshita¢æ? or he'd say, a¢æ©«I'm glad you're here.a¢æ?
|
And it was always such an honour to have Ammi on my side
|
That's why it hit me like a Mack truck when I found out that he died
|
Yeah, it hit me like a Mack trucks when I found that he died
|
Then enter Alex, 33 years old and so sick with the cancer
|
And trapped inside a body that betrayed his real gender
|
We all hoped and prayed that he would go into remission
|
At least long enough, just long enough to comeplete his transition
|
He said, a¢æ©«Kimya, did you know Eleventeen's my favourite song?a¢æ?
|
I said, a¢æ©«Then get your ass on stage right now and you can sing along.a¢æ?
|
That's the very first song I ever wrote all by myself
|
It's about angels and recovery and friends and hope and health
|
By the time we finished singing he was pissed off, he was scared
|
He said, a¢æ©«I lost my home, my lover, my insurance, and my hair.
|
And now I'm about to lose you too, my new friend.a¢æ?
|
I looked into those big blue eyes and said we'll meet again
|
Yeah I looked into his sad blue eyes and said we'll meet again
|
Then I got the phone call from Alyssa and she told me he was dying
|
By the time I got to his bedside we were both already flying
|
We held hands and we sang songs, tried to be strong floated around
|
While I cursed the skin that he was in for all the ways it had let him down
|
Yeah I cursed the skin that he was in for all the ways it had let him down
|
But at the same time I was taking my own body for granted
|
First I lost sight of my feet then they became unplanted
|
And I never felt so stupid or so selfish or so sad yeah
|
I body had been good to me and I treated it so bad yeah
|
My body had been good to me and I treated it so bad
|
Then he said, a¢æ©«Mama, I don't want my friends to watch me die.a¢æ?
|
So I kissed his cheek, made him a shirt, and then I said goodbye
|
And they cremated him in the shirt that I drew
|
Of the two of us that said they're flying over you too
|
Now the silver pink ponies have my homie in their crew
|
So I tightened up my l |