What the Words Meant

[Verse 1] The first time I heard it Didn't know what it was I listened to it over and over I couldn't get enough I knew every syllable And the space in between And I wondered What my own song would be [Chorus] I thought I understood what the words meant I thought I knew the meaning behind I memorized the sounds and the rhythms And wondered about the stories inside I thought I understood what the words meant I thought that they were written for me A message spelled out in a language That only those who've been there Been there can read [Verse 2] The first time I heard it Didn't know what it was It was foreign and angry and brilliant I couldn't get enough But the story behind it You revealed it to me And I realized You had lived through what I'd never seen [Chorus] I never understood what the words meant I never knew the meaning behind I memorized the sounds and the rhythms But didn't know the stories inside I never understood what the words meant The words were never written for me A message spelled out in a language That only those who've been there Been there can read [Instrumental Break] [Chorus] I wish I didn't know what the words meant Or understand the meaning behind I memorized the sounds and the rhythms And now I know the stories inside I wish I didn't know what the words meant That they were never written for me A message spelled out in a language That only those who've been there Been there can read [Outro] Been there Been there can read Been there Been there can read