“Jolene, He Won’t” Verse 1 Jolene, I see your face You’re not the villain in this place You didn’t break what wasn’t sound You just walked near a shaking ground I know the myth, I know the script Blame the woman, let him slip But I’m not dragging you through mud For what he is or what he does Pre-Chorus So I won’t beg I won’t compete I know too much To call that love or call that defeat Chorus Jolene, if he goes Take the boots and take the coat But don’t believe he turns to gold Just because he changed his road He won’t grow kinder in your light He won’t wake honest overnight You can have the hand I knew He won’t be different just for you Verse 2 Jolene, I won’t call you thief Men like this love borrowed grief They leave a woman with the blame Then teach the next one all her shame He talks in dreams, he talks in smoke He calls it fate, he calls it hope But every promise dressed in grace Still wears the pattern on its face Pre-Chorus No, I won’t beg I won’t perform I’ve seen enough To know a storm still stays a storm Chorus Jolene, if he goes Take the shadow, take the show But don’t mistake a change of scene For proof he’s finally grown up clean He won’t grow roots because you care He won’t be brave because you’re there You can have the man I knew He won’t be different just for you Bridge And if he brings you flowers bright Check his hands in harder light If he says I broke his heart Ask him for the missing part Ask him who did all the bending Who kept patching every ending Ask him why the truth came slow Ask him what he still won’t know Final Chorus Jolene, I set you free From the war they sell to me I won’t hate you, I see through The oldest lie they hand to women too So if he comes, then let him through But know the mask is not the truth You don’t win what I outgrew He won’t be different just for you Outro Jolene, I won’t fight Not for a man who feared the light
