Where in hell can you go
far from the things that you know
far from the sprawl of concrete
that keeps crawling it's way about
1,000 miles a day
Take one last look behind
commit this to memory and mind
Don't miss this wasteland,
this terrible place
When you leave keep your heart off of your sleeve
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes
lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me don't go
Don't you go
Oh my five & dime queen tell me what have you seen
The lust and avarice
The bottomless, the cavernous greed
Is that what you see
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes
lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me don't go
It's your happiness I want most of all
and for that I'd do anything at all
Oh mercy me
If you want the best of it
or the most of it all
if there's anything I can do at all
Now come on shot gun bride
what makes me envy your life
Faceless, nameless, innocent
blameless and free
what's it like to be
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes
lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me don't go
Don't go
far from the things that you know
far from the sprawl of concrete
that keeps crawling it's way about
1,000 miles a day
Take one last look behind
commit this to memory and mind
Don't miss this wasteland,
this terrible place
When you leave keep your heart off of your sleeve
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes
lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me don't go
Don't you go
Oh my five & dime queen tell me what have you seen
The lust and avarice
The bottomless, the cavernous greed
Is that what you see
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes
lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me don't go
It's your happiness I want most of all
and for that I'd do anything at all
Oh mercy me
If you want the best of it
or the most of it all
if there's anything I can do at all
Now come on shot gun bride
what makes me envy your life
Faceless, nameless, innocent
blameless and free
what's it like to be
Motherland cradle me, close my eyes
lullaby me to sleep
Keep me safe, lie with me
Stay beside me don't go
Don't go
Natalie Merchant

Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first seven albums before leaving to begin her solo career in 1993. She has since released nine studio albums as a solo artist.