Capo 3rd fret

Standard (EADGBE)

 Hot breath, rough skin

 warm laughs, and smiling,

 the lovliest words

 whispered and meant

 you like all these things.

 But though you like all these things

 you love a stone.

 You love a stone,

 because it's smooth and it's cold.

 And you'd love most

 to be told

 that it's all your own.

 You love white veins,

 you love hard grey,

 the heaviest weight,

 the clumsiest shape,

 the earthiest smell,

 the hollowest tone

 you love a stone.

Bridge

 And I'm found too fast,

called too fond of flames,

 and then I'm phoning my friends,

and then I'm shouldering the blame,

 while you're picking pebbles

 out of the drain,

 miles ago.

 You're out singing songs,

and I'm down shouting names

 at the flickerless screen,

going fucking insane.

 Am I losing my cool,

 overstating my case?

 Well, baby what can I say?

 You know I never claimed

 that I was a stone.

 And you love a stone.

 You love white veins,

 you love hard grey,

 the heaviest weight,

 the clumsiest shape,

 the earthiest smell,

 the hollowest tone

 you love a stone.

Bridge

 You love a stone,

 because it's dark

 and it's old

 and if it could start

 being alive

 you'd stop living alone.

(quieter, don't strum as much)

 And I think I believe

 that if stones could dream

 they'd dream of being laid

 side-by-side piece-by-piece

 and turned into a castle

 for some towering queen

 they're unable to know.

 And when that queen's daughter

 came of age,

 I think she'd be lovely

 and stubborn and brave,

 and suitors would journey

 from kingdoms away

 just to make themselves known.

 And I think that I know

 the bitter dismay

 of a lover who brought

 fresh brouquets every day

 when she turned him away

 to remember some knave

 who once gave just one rose, one day, years ago.

The end:

X4