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 blight
He gets shakes in the night
And they say there is no way
That they could have caught it in
Time takes its toll on him
It is traditional, it is inherited
Predisposition

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
Fill 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 grandmother
Civil War soldiers who prob'ly 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 too close to me 'cause you might
Knock me up
Me up, me up, me up, me up
Knock 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
And 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 for my life, I can run into debt
I can run from it all, I can run till I'm gone
I can run for the office and run for the cause
I can run using every last ounce of energy
I cannot, I cannot

I cannot run from my family
They're hiding inside me, corpses on ice
Come in, if you'd like, but just don't tell my family
They'd never forgive me, they 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
Shut me up
Me up, me up, me up, me up