Van Dyke Parks
Never Is a Promise
[Verse 1]
You'll never see the courage I know
Its colors' richness won't appear within your view
I'll never glow the way that you glow
Your presence dominates the judgements made on you

[Pre-Chorus]
But as the scenery grows, I see in different lights
The shades and shadows undulate in my perception
My feelings swell and stretch I see from greater heights
I understand what I am still too proud to mention to you

[Chorus]
You'll say you understand, but you don't understand
You'll say you'd never give up seeing eye to eye
But "never" is a promise and you can't afford to lie

[Verse 2]
You'll never touch these things that I hold
The skin of my emotions lies beneath my own
You'll never feel the heat of this soul
My fever burns me deeper than I've ever shown to you

[Chorus]
You'll say "Don't fear your dreams, it's easier than it seems"
You'll say you'd never let me fall from hopes so high
But "never" is a promise and you can't afford to lie
[Verse 3]
You'll never live this life that I live
I'll never live the life that wakes me in the night
You'll never hear the message I give
You'll say it looks as though I might give up this fight

[Pre-Chorus]
But as the scenery grows, I see in different lights
The shades and shadows undulate in my perception
My feelings swell and stretch, I see from greater heights
I realize what I am now too smart to mention to you

[Chorus]
You'll say you understand, you'll never understand
I'll say I'll never wake up knowing how or why
I don't know what to believe in, you don't know who I am
You'll say I need appeasing when I start to cry
But "never" is a promise and I'll never need a lie