Papa don't preach

Papa don't preach

I said, "Papa don't preach."

Come on, papa don't preach

Papa don't preach

I beseech you, man

Your devilish deeds

Teach more than a teacher can

What have we learned?

Which lessons won't stick?

Tracing the edges of wisdom and shit

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

You're tracing its movements

Predict its every turn

You watch down from above

And record what you learn

You're graphing the data

And tagging up our ears

Complex simulations

With graph paper gears

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

Wistful in his widow's peak

So to speak, he stands

A son confronts his father

With his hat in his hands

All the things you never could do

I never can

All the things I blamed on you

I see I now do, too

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

Knowing how the world works

Is not knowing how to work the world

A handful of stories

A house full of cards

A mouthful of sorrys

And a heart full up of scars

I'll take a handful of you

And take a handful of me

I put it in my mouth

And chew it up so thoroughly

I learned just one thing when I was young:

Pretend that you hate everything you love

I learned just one thing when I was young:

Pretend that you hate everything you love

I learned just one thing when I was young:

Pretend that you hate everything you love

I learned just one thing when I was young:

Pretend that you hate everything you love