Lyrics

ONLY WOMAN OTHER WOMAN © 1977 James Barton
From the Left In The Wake CD

She stands in the doorway, facing the street
Watches the man make a silent retreat
Pulls her robe around her, tight against the night
The other woman turns around and fades away from sight
Pulls the curtain closed, douses out the light

He heads out to the highway, the wind is in his face
The stars are in the sky, and the moon is in its place
He pulls into a side street and stops to clear his head
At home the only woman waits in barely half a bed
At home the only woman waits in barely half a bed

And if she knew what would she do?
And if she can will she understand me?

The only woman lies awake with trouble in her dreams
Making his excuses and believing all his schemes
Considering revenge, then throwing it all away
The only woman knows it’ll be all right again someday
The only woman knows it’ll be all right again someday

The other woman listens to the clock upon the wall
The situation’s hopeless, and she doesn’t care at all
The agreement with her lover’s clear, but wouldn’t it be nice
If one fine day the only woman would drop right out of sight
If one fine day the only woman would drop right out of sight

And if he knew, what would he do?
And if he can, will he understand me?

The only woman knows the spark is fading fast
But she wants to save her pride and she won’t dare ask
The other woman knows the man is headed home
She knows that’s where his heart is, but the seed is sown

And he thinks he knows it all, but he doesn’t know enough
And isn’t that the way it goes in the politics of love?
It’s the oldest game of all, as old as life itself
Sometimes you want to pack it up and leave it on the shelf
Sometimes you want to pack it up and leave it on the shelf