Jim's Note: On Saturday, May 23, 1998 in my notes with this song I wrote: "The phrase ‘It’s not a song until someone sings it’, has been kicking around in my head for a while, now. The first phrase especially seems pertinent because I have been sitting on my songs for so long, and doing nothing with them. One could adapt the phrase to many things; It’s not a book until someone reads it; it’s not a car until someone drives it; etc, etc.

Why did I write it today of all days? I have no idea. Maybe the time was right for it. I was doing my usual shopping today, and jumped in the car and started driving home. Within a couple of minutes I had written the chorus and was working on a basic tune. As usual the thing came out of nowhere."

Songwriters: check out the bridge and the first section of the last chorus - you will see they are virtually the same. This is a no, no, in songwriting, but for some reason it works perfectly well in this song.

CHORUS
It’s not a novel until you are reading it,
It’s not a poem until you recite it,
It’s not a song until you start singing and
It’s not love until you start giving me it.

They’re just symbols on processed timber,
They don’t mean a thing ‘til we are there.
We got to take them all and breath life into them,
And show the writer that we really all care.

Your love is like that unread novel, girl,
You hide away on the high top shelf.
You better take it down and dust it off again,
Or you’ll be stuck up there all by yourself.

CHORUS

I build you up but you tear me down, girl
I want our love to be an open book.
I’m having trouble getting past your cover, girl
But you don’t want to even take a look.

I’m looking everywhere for plot and character,
I want to know what makes you tick.
There are no words inside this useless paperback,
Just empty pages that make me sick, because...

CHORUS

BRIDGE
I’m gonna find me a clean piece of paper, girl
I'm gonna turn it into one long list.
I’m gonna write down all the things that matter, girl
Just so I don’t forget...
Just so I don't forget the things I miss!

I’m gonna find me a clean piece of paper, girl
I'm gonna turn it into one long list.
I’m gonna write down all the things that matter, girl
Just so I don’t forget the things I miss.

Your love and kisses under morning covers, girl
Your sweet caresses that I barely felt.
Your hot breath against my naked body, girl
The little signals that made me melt.

CHORUS

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