[Verse 1]
Why burn poor and lonely
Under a bowl or under a lampshade
Or on the shelf beside the bed
Where at night you lay turning like a door on its hinges?
First on your left side
Then on your right side...
Then your left side again

[Verse 2]
Why burn poor and lonely?
Tell all the stones we're gonna make a building
We'll be cut into shape
And set into place
Or if you'd rather be a window
I'll gladly be the frame
Reflecting any kind words
We'll let in all the blame
And ruin our reputation all the same
So never mind our plan making
We'll start living
Anyway, aren't you unbearably sad?
Then why burn so poor and lonely?

[Chorus]
We'll be like torches!
We'll be like torches!
We'll be like torches... Oh!
We'll be torches together...
Torches together!
We'll be like torches!
We'll be like torches
With whatever respect
Our tattered dignity demands
Torches together, hand in hand
[Verse 3]
Why pluck one string
What good is just one note?
Oh, one string sounds fine, I guess, but
We were once 'one note'
We were lonely wheat
Quietly ground into grain
What light and momentary pain!
So why the safe distance
This curious look?
Why tear out single pages
When you can throw away the book?
Why pluck one string
When you can strum the guitar?
Strum the guitar!
Strum the guitar!
Strum the guitar
With no beginning, with no ending
Take down the guitar and strum the guitar!
Strum the guitar if you're afraid
And I'm afraid and everyone's afraid and everyone knows it
But we don't have to be afraid anymore

[Outro]
You played the flute
But no one was dancing
You sang a sad song
But none of us cried
You played the flute
But no one was dancing
And you sang a sad song
And none of us cried
You played the flute
But no one was dancing
You sang a sad song
But none of us cried
You played the flute
But no one was dancing
And you sang a sad song
You sang such a sad song