Lyrics:

ARTIST:CARLY SIMON
ALBUM:BEST OF CARLY SIMON
TITLE:THAT'S THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE

(CARLY SIMON/JACOB BRACKMAN)

MY FATHER SITS AT NIGHT WITH NO LIGHTS ON
HIS CIGARETTE GLOWS IN THE DARK.
THE LIVING ROOM IS STILL;
I WALK BY, NO REMARK.
I TIPTOE PAST THE MASTER BEDROOM WHERE
MY MOTHER READS HER MAGAZINES.
I HEAR HER CALL SWEET DREAMS,
BUT I FORGOT HOW TO DREAM.

BUT YOU SAY IT'S TIME WE MOVED IN TOGETHER
AND RAISED A FAMILY OF OUR OWN, YOU AND ME -
WELL, THAT'S THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE:
YOU WANT TO MARRY ME, WE'LL MARRY.

MY FRIENDS FROM COLLEGE THEY'RE ALL MARRIED NOW;
THEY HAVE THEIR HOUSES AND THEIR LAWNS.
THEY HAVE THEIR SILENT NOONS,
TEARFUL NIGHTS, ANGRY DAWNS.
THEIR CHILDREN HATE THEM FOR THE THINGS THEY'RE NOT;
THEY HATE THEMSELVES FOR WHAT THEY ARE-
AND YET THEY DRINK, THEY LAUGH,

CLOSE THE WOUND, HIDE THE SCAR.

BUT YOU SAY IT'S TIME WE MOVED IN TOGETHER
AND RAISED A FAMILY OF OUR OWN, YOU AND ME -
WELL, THAT'S THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE:
YOU WANT TO MARRY ME, WE'LL MARRY.

YOU SAY WE CAN KEEP OUR LOVE ALIVE
BABE - ALL I KNOW IS WHAT I SEE -
THE COUPLES CLING AND CLAW
AND DROWN IN LOVE'S DEBRIS.
YOU SAY WE'LL SOAR LIKE TWO BIRDS THROUGH THE CLOUDS,
BUT SOON YOU'LL CAGE ME ON YOUR SHELF -
I'LL NEVER LEARN TO BE JUST ME FIRST
BY MYSELF.

WELL O.K., IT'S TIME WE MOVED IN TOGETHER
AND RAISED A FAMILY OF OUR OWN, YOU AND ME -
WELL, THAT'S THE WAY I'VE ALWAYS HEARD IT SHOULD BE,
YOU WANT TO MARRY ME, WE'LL MARRY,
WE'LL MARRY.