[intro] A, B, C Come play with me Round the yard By the crooked tree Clap once low Clap twice thin Mind the letter Let it in Step by step Toe to toe Smile real wide Don’t let it know [verse 1] A is for apoplexy A thunder in the skull B is for belligerence When gentle faces dull C is for conflagration A flower made of flame D is for desolation When no one knows your name E is for envenomation A secret in the skin F is for fulguration A candle in the vein [chorus] A, B, C Come play with me D, E, F Hold your little breath Sing it soft Sing it sweet Little shoes and skipping feet A, B, C Come play with me [post-chorus] Don’t look down Don’t look back Letters crawl Between the cracks [verse 2] G is for gravitation Everything comes down H is for hecatomb No bells left in the town I is for immolation A lantern in the rain J is for jeopardy A game that learned your name K is for knell When silver starts to cry L is for languishment Watching windows die [chorus] G, H, I Clouds shut up the sky J, K, L Ring the little bell Sing it soft Sing it sweet Little shoes and skipping feet A, B, C Come play with me [bridge] One child laughs Two children stare Three little shadows Under the stair Four mouths hum Five heads turn Six little names The blackboard learned Seven steps Eight eyes gleam Nine small voices Share one dream [verse 3] M is for malediction A wish you can’t unsay N is for necrosis When green things turn grey O is for obliteration A whisper, then it’s gone P is for pestilence Humming with the dawn Q is for quiescence When the playground stills R is for ruination Rolling down the hills [chorus] M, N, O Round and round we go P, Q, R Wish upon a falling star Sing it soft Sing it sweet Little shoes and skipping feet A, B, C Come play with me [post-chorus] Don’t say no Don’t say why Every letter Wants an eye [verse 4] S is for subjugation Hands behind your back T is for tribulation Follow every crack U is for usurpation Someone wore your face V is for vitriol Leaving little lace W is for withering Petals in a row X is for xylophagy Eating homes below Y is for yawning void Opening one eye Z is for zero hour Wave the world goodbye [chorus] S, T, U Something followed you V, W Now it waits in queue X, Y, Z Kneel beside the tree Sing it soft Sing it sweet Give the dark your skipping feet A, B, C Come play with me [final bridge] Teacher’s gone The bell won’t ring Still the children Stand and sing Hands all folded Eyes all bright Learning letters Through the night
