Amanda Palmer - Runs In The Family

My friend has problems with winter and autumn
They give him prescriptions, they shine bright lights on him
They say it's genetic, they say he can't help it
They say you can catch it, but sometimes you're born with it

My friend has spite, he gets shakes in the night
And they say that there's no way that they could have
Caught it in time takes his toll on him
It is traditional, it is inherited, predispositional
All day I've been wondering what is inside of me
Who can I blame for it? I say it runs in the family

This family that carries me to such great lengths
To open my legs up to anyone who'll have me
It runs in the family, I come by it honestly
Do what you want 'cause
Who knows it might fill me up
Me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up
Fill me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up

My friend's depressed, she's a wreck, she's a mess
They've done all sorts of tests and they guess
It has something to do with her grandmother's
Grandfather's saving war soldiers
Who badly infected her My friend has maladies, rickets, and allergies
That she dates back to the 17th century
Somehow she manages in her misery
Strips in the city and shares all her best tricks with
Me, well I'm well, well, I mean I'm in hell
Well, I still have my health, at least that's what they tell me
If wellness is this, what in Hell's name is sickness
But business is business and business runs in the family

We tend to bruise easily, bad in the blood
I'm telling you 'cause I just want you to know me
Know me and my family, we're wonderful folks
But don't get to close to me 'cause you might knock me up
Me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up
Knock me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up

Mary, have mercy, now look what I've done
But don't blame me because I can't help where I come from
running is something that we've always done well
And mostly I can't even tell what I'm running from
Run from their pity, from responsibility
Run from the country and run from the city
I can run from the law, I can run from myself
I can run from my life, I can run into debt
I can run from it all, I can run 'til I'm gone
I can run for the office and run for my cause
I can run using every last ounce of energy
I cannot, I cannot, I cannot run from my family

They're hiding inside of me, corpses on ice
Come in if you like but just don't tell my family
They'd never forgive me, they'd say that I'm crazy
But they would say anything if it would shut me up
Shut me up, shut me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up
Shut me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up, me up