Lord, I'm discouraged   The circles have sucked in her eyes   Lord, I'm discouraged   Her new friends have shadowed her life   Lord, I'm discouraged   She ain't come out dancing for some time   And I tried to light candles   But they burn down to nothing   She keeps coming up with   Excuses and half-truths and fortified wine   Excuses and half-truths and fortified wine   Excuses and half-truths and fortified wine   There's a house on the south side   She stays in for days at a time      I know I'm no angel, I ain't been bad that way   Can't you hear her?   She's that sweet missing songbird when the choir sings on Sundays   And I'm almost busted   But I bought back the jewelery she sold   And I come to your altar   And then there's just nothing and she keeps insisting   The sutures and bruises are none of my business   She says that she's sick, but she won't get specific   The sutures and bruises are none of my business   This guy from the north side comes down to visit   His visits, they only take five or six minutes      Lord, I'm sorry to question your wisdom   But my faith has been wavering   Won't you show me a sign   And let me know that you're listening?      Excuses and half-truths and fortified wine   Excuses and half-truths and fortified wine   Excuses and half-truths and fortified wine   I know it's unlikely she'll ever be mine   So I mostly just pray she don't die