Janis Ian
Between the Lines (Live)
[Verse 1]
There's never much to say between
The moments of our games and repartee
There's never much to read between
The lines of what we need and what we'll take
There's never much to talk about or say aloud
But say it anyway
Of holidays and yesterdays
And broken dreams that somehow slipped away

[Verse 2]
In books and magazines of how to be
And what to see, while you are being
Before and after photographs
Teach us how to pass from reaching to believing
We live beyond our means on other people's dreams
And that's succeeding
Between the lines of photographs, I've seen the past
It isn't pleasing

[Chorus]
So strike another match
We'll have another cup of wine
And dance until the evening's dead
Of too much song and time
There's never much to talk about
Or read between the lines
Of what we dream about when we're apart
And no one's looking on to say, "You're mine"
[Verse 3]
'Cause it was a good year then
It was a good year then, we all remember
The time you threw the looking glass
And you seemed a fool, or very clever
Don't spoil it all—I can't recall
A time you were stuck without an answer
We'll live a quiet peaceful time between the lines
And go together

[Chorus]
And I'm striking up the band
To play our last hurrah
We'll dance until we've killed another evening off
Don't think of anyone but me
I'll have no lovers on the side
Tonight is all we've ever dreamed about
For once, let's get it right
We'll go down flying in the end
Throw another bottle in between the lines
We'll go down like a ship of state
Let's be gracious now, between the lines