She was a muse in a second hand dream
While he was a snake with a Cheshire grin
"Our dreams will come true" - his hollow refrain
And his every touch ,just brought fear and pain
His words were daggers and his hands were chains
I was only six, I couldn't see the stains
I learned to read lips through the drywall noise
and cover my ears when he raised his voice
Mama hid her bruise well
so I wouldn't know the taste of hell
She always winced when she hugged me too tight
And hid her tears when she told me good night
"you're imagining things" - was his favorite line
just slipped on the floor - don't worry she's fine"
[Chorus]
It smelled like love
[hook] Oh, It smelled like love
but tasted like fear
A slow drip poison,
year after year
[Hook] Year after year
He wanted her smarts, she wanted a child
Now I have to scrape this hate from my mind
[Verse]
It didn't took long 'til I understood
The way he'd smile meant nothing good
Mama's hands would start to shake
And I'd count the seconds 'til he'd break
You said I'm like her: "frail and naive"
"to soft to fight back and to weak to leave"
You twisted my wrist : to "teach me the game"
Said love was a currency, pain was the same!
I was just his leverage play
A pawn to force my mama stay.
I learned to flinch before he'd speak
got chills at the creak of his feet
I learned to scream without a noise
Turned to stone at the sound of his voice!
[Chorus]
It smelled like love
[hook] Oh, It smelled like love
but tasted like fear
A slow-motion murder,
year after year
[Hook] Year after year
He wanted her all, she gave him her life
Now I have to scrape this hate from my mind!
[Bridge]
Hush now, my love,
don’t you cry…
Daddy’s just…
stressed tonight.
But he’s good,...
you’ll see—
Deep down,... he’s good,
...right?
We’ll… thank him
someday,
It’s all for the best…
Just close your eyes, baby,
Time to rest."
[Verse]
Found her once curled...
on the laundry room floor,
Sorting the whites...
her hands shaking more.
"Just slipped on detergent,"
her voice ... like a thread,
Then I lifted her shirt—
a constellation of red.
[fury]
He bought me a cake
that same damn night,
Said, "your mother loves drama;
you know that ... right?"
The icing just dripped...
like a wound in the light.
[Chorus]
It smelled like love
[hook] Oh, It smelled like love
but tasted like fear
A slow-motion murder,
year after year
[Hook] Year after year
He wanted her all, she gave him her life
Now I have to scrape this hate from my mind!
Mama's gone and I'm still here
Chocking in the rage she swallowed for years
Her ashes lay in a thrift-store vase
She finally got to that "better place"
His money is ash and his house is dead
Only his "lessons"
remain in my head!
"It smelled like love...
but it tasted like fear."
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