Black Dog - Elizabeth Fuller

[Larry Robinson]

Black Dog

Tears pour down and they burn my face
Back against the wall in an empty space
Hard to breathe, double up and howl
Fight the flood with a paper towel
            Here it comes again — the black dog has come to call
            Walks right in thru the open door
            And you don’t know what he’s come there for
            You don’t know what’s wrong at all
Well, Black Dog, Black Dog, you’re an old, old friend of mine
You got bad breath, baby, and your eyes are red
Your fur is scratchy and you’re heavy as lead
You got long toenails and a bullet head — and you’re mine
 
Stop the tears, straighten up my face
Crack across the mirror in the same old place
Hands feel numb, try to fix some food
Drop a plate, and I come unglued
            Here it comes again, the Black Dog is here to stay
            Try to give it a different name
            But the Black Dog sits there just the same
            And it says, No way, No way   
Well, Black Dog, Black Dog, you’re an old, old friend of mine
You got bad breath, baby, and your eyes are red
Your fur is scratchy and you’re heavy as lead
You got long toenails and a bullet head — and you’re mine
 
            I got friends, I got loving, yeah
            I got happy days, I got many ways
                        To get behind myself and keep on shoving
            I'm OK, I'm on top again
            And I'm gonna try to see how far I can fly
                        Before I know I'm gonna drop again
            
            Mama said, Don't you shed those tears
            You got no right to cry till you've got more years
            But Mama lied, and I know that now
            Gonna learn that Black Dog's name somehow
                        Here it comes again, the Dog wants another meal
                        But even a Black Dog was once a pup
                        And there's lots of ways of growing up
                        Come on in, and learn to heal
                                    Black Dog, Black Dog, better take your final bow
                                    Gonna teach you to heel, gonna learn to feel
                                    And we'll muddle along somehow
                                    Well, I don't know when your days will end
                                    But I do know freedom's round the bend,
                                    So until we say Goodbye, my friend,
                                                Black Dog, I'm the Top Dog now

	- Elizabeth Fuller