Beneath the Family Laughter

[Instrumental intro] [Verse 1 - Bubba MALE] They passed the rolls and photographs And laughed about the rain Everybody knew the old jokes No one asked about the pain Then a cousin by the doorway Said I'd like to talk sometime Not right here before the whole room Just a little of your time [Chorus - Bubba and Darlene FEMALE harmony] Beneath the family laughter There's a story we can hear If we leave a chair for honesty And make it safe right here We don't have to force the telling We can let the silence start Beneath the family laughter There's a heart [Verse 2 - Darlene FEMALE] We took coffee to the porch swing Didn't try to fix the years I could listen without preaching Let him choose what he would share Later on we joined the singing Nothing solved in one short night But a little door was opened And a porch was full of light [Chorus - duet] Beneath the family laughter There's a story we can hear If we leave a chair for honesty And make it safe right here We don't have to force the telling We can let the silence start Beneath the family laughter There's a heart [Instrumental solo and break] [Bridge - intimate then build] Love can laugh around a table Love can sit beside a tear Let the welcome go much deeper Than the stories easy to hear [Final chorus - full duet] Beneath the family laughter There's a story we can hear If we leave a chair for honesty And make it safe right here We don't have to force the telling We can let the silence start Beneath the family laughter There's a heart [Outro - resolve naturally] Beneath the Family Laughter [Instrumental ending]