The Thing About Things

Tom : G
G Gsus2 C
I’ve loaned a lot of things to a lot of friends Like records and dresses and books
G Gsus2
And a lot of the time I never see them again
G C
And in a weird way I think that that works
C D
Because the thing about things is they start turn evil
G C
When you start to forget what they’re for
C C
And so if you’re not sure what you did with my sweater
D G Gsus2
I’ll just have to love you a little bit more

[Verse 2]
G Gsus2 C
I had a ring it belonged to my grandfather He was a mason and gay
G Gsus2
And he was distant and bitter for all of my childhood
C
We never had much to say
G Gsus2 C
He wasn’t the type to give tokens of affection So I stole ring when he died
G Gsus2
And then twenty years on when I lost it at a bar
C
I thought that’s fine I don't want him in my life
C D
Because the thing about things is that they can start meaning things
G C
Nobody actually said
G Gsus2
And if he couldn’t make something mean something for me
D G
I had to make up what it meant

[Bridge]
C G D A
I can carry everything I need in one collapsing suitcase
C G D A
I can carry everyone I love in one phone application
C A C A
Built to maximize the facetime of the friends I’m bent on making
C A
Actually I want to be alone
C
To mourn the loss
A
Of what it cost

[Verse 3]
G Gsus2
I think it’s a poem and I think it keeps going
C
And I’ve borrowed and loaned lots of things
G Gsus2
And 3 nights ago in the bar where I lost it
C
the bartender gave me the ring
G Gsus2 C G
I lie in bed With my phone in my hand Thinking what can I fix with which app
G Gsus2
And I call my grandfather And he doesn’t answer
C G
And I have to make peace with that fact
C D
Because the thing about things Is that they can start meaning
G C
nobody actually said
G Gsus2
And if you’re not allowed to love people alive
D G
Then you learn how to love people dead
C D G C
The thing about things is that they can start meaning things nobody actually said
G Gsus2
And if you’re not allowed To love people alive
D G
Then you learn how to love people dead