there is a fabric, there’s a web
much farther down than you or i can see
there is a fabric, there’s a web
under the soil that’s underneath the sea lies a web

sister long legs had been wandering
for three years and a half
with just one direction as her path
away from her father and his trailer trash
from his gums that run and his teeth that gnash
he’d look in on her bed, he’d look in on her bath
he’d peek in his head as he said

there is a fabric, there’s a web
around this house, around you, and ma and me
there is a fabric, there’s a web
sister, you’re gonna stay here ‘til you sleep in my web

five months and six states away from home
she joined up with our traveling show
we taught her everything she now knows
taught her to breathe in fire and to tightrope
every night at her bedside, she recited the walker’s oath
there’s a big-top above your head
and below your feet there’s always gonna be

a fabric, there’ll be a web
much further down than your poor eyes can see
there’s a fabric, there’s a web
even when and if you don’t believe there’ll be a web

she first caught my eye down at penn station
she was on her way from boston to trenton
i said ma’am, may i please have some of your attention
(i got a thing for legs, and she had eight of ‘em)
she said no, but I suppose you can sit
here while i’m waiting
the time spent with her was most elating
she taught me more in an hour than
i’ve learned in an entire season
why not stay here with me? give me one good reason
unless what you say ain’t true unless you’ve just been teasin’
i was down on my knees, like a fool, i was pleading
as her train arrived I found myself having trouble breathing stupid child, she laughed, patted my head as she said

there is a fabric, there’s a web
in between your kind and me
there’s a fabric, there’s a web
it’s just too damn close to your face to see my web

i didn’t see her face for such a long time
and when i did, it came with a headline
sister long legs fatal fall due to a faulty line
apparently the oath that she said every day of her life was a lie
either way, i took the next redeye headin’ for shanghai
got there as they were laying the stone above her head that read

there’s a fabric, there’s a web
in between your kind and
around this house, around you and ma and
it’s just too damn close to your face to
sister, you’re gonna stay here ‘til ya
you’re full of malarkey and you just won’t
even when and if you don’t be
much further down than your poor eyes can
under the soil that’s underneath the sea
there’s a fabric, there’s a web
i used to doubt, but now all i perceive is my own web.