What's The Matter Here (LP Version)-10,000 Maniacs

[00:21.78]That young boy without a name I'd know his face. [00:27.54]In this city the kid's my favorite. [00:32.00]I've seen him. [00:35.25]I see him every day. [00:41.27]Seen him run outside looking for a place to hide from his father, [00:48.99]the kid half naked and said to myself [00:53.82]"O, what's the matter here?" [01:00.79]I'm tired of the excuses everbody uses, [01:05.16]he's their kid I stay out of it, [01:10.17]but who gave you the right to do this? [01:17.42]We live on Morgan Street; [01:19.83]just ten feet between and his mother, [01:25.12]I never see her, but her screams and cussing, [01:30.70]I hear them every day. [01:36.64]Threats like: "If you don't mind I will beat on your behind," [01:41.84]"Slap you, slap you silly." [01:45.49]Made me say, "O, what's the matter here?" [01:55.61]I'm tired of the excuses everybody uses, [02:00.35]he's your kid, do as you see fit, [02:05.08]but get this through that I don't approve of [02:09.91]what you did to you own flesh and blood. [02:13.91] [02:50.04]Oh I have heard the excuses everybody uses [02:55.42]He's your kid [02:57.00]do as you see fit [03:00.30]But get this through [03:02.44]That I don't approve of [03:04.96]what you did to your own flesh and blood [03:08.08] [03:17.28]"If you don't sit on this chair straight [03:21.92]I'll take this belt from around my waist [03:26.71]and don't think that I won't use it!" [03:31.91]Answer me and take your time, [03:34.14]what could be the awful crime he could do at such young an age? [03:40.08]If I'm the only witness to your madness offer me some words to balance out what I see and what I hear. [03:49.56]Oh these cold and lowly things that you do I suppose you do because he belongs to you [03:59.31]and instead of love and the feel of warmth you've given him these cuts and sores don't heal with time or with age. [04:08.88] [04:12.50]And I want to say [04:21.03]"What's the Matter here?" [04:25.51]But I don't dare say. [04:30.63]"What's the Matter here?" [04:35.09]But I don't dare say.