Text: Ani DiFranco. Back Back Back.

Back, back, back
In the back of your mind are you learning an angry language?

Tell me, boy
Boy
Boy, are you tending to your joy, or are you just letting it vanquish?

Yeah, back, back, back
In the dark of your mind where the eyes of your demons are gleaming
Are you mad
Mad
Mad about the life you never had
Yeah, even when you are dreaming?

Who are these old, old, old people in these nursing homes
Just scowling away at nothing?
Like big rag dolls
Just cursing at the walls and pulling out all of their stuffing

Yeah, every day is a door leading back to the core
Yes, old age will distill you
And if you're this, this, this full of bitterness now
Some day it will just fill you

When you sit right down in the middle of yourself
You're gonna wanna have a comfortable chair
So renovate your soul before you get too old cuz you're gonna be housebound there

When you're old you fold up like an envelope and you mail yourself right inside
Yeah, and there's nowhere to go except out, real slow
Are you ready, boy, for that ride?

Your arrogance is gaining on you, and so is eternity
You better practice happiness
You better practice humility
Yeah, you took the air
You took the time
You were fed and you were free
You'd better put some beauty back, yeah, while you got the energy

You'd better put some beauty back, yeah, while you got the energy

Back, back, back
In the back of your mind are you learning an angry language?

Tell me, boy
Boy
Boy, are you tending to your joy, or are you just letting it vanquish?

Yeah, back, back, back
In the dark of your mind where the eyes of your demons are gleaming
Are you mad
Mad
Mad about the life you never had
Even when you're dreaming?