[Intro] [Long Intro] [Verse 1] Woke up this mornin’, my smile fell on the floor Yeah, I woke up this mornin’, my smile fell on the floor Picked it up, dusted it off, Said, “I heard this joke somewhere before” [Verse 2] Man down the road say this song is mighty old Man down the road say this song is mighty old Funny thing is I heard him write it Back when the radio still had a soul [Chorus] Oh it’s broken laughter, passed from hand to hand Yeah it’s broken laughter, passed from hand to hand Everybody swears they found it Just lyin’ loose in the land [Verse 3] Grandpa sang it to me, said his grandpa did too Grandpa sang it to me, said his grandpa did too But I saw it on a copyright form Dated nineteen sixty-two [Verse 4] They changed one word, moved a line around Yeah they changed one word, moved a line around Called it “ancient wisdom” Soon as the lawyer left town [Chorus] Oh it’s broken laughter, wearin’ borrowed clothes Yeah it’s broken laughter, wearin’ borrowed clothes Everybody wants the credit Nobody wants what’s owed [Bridge] Ain’t gotta chase no clever words Ain’t gotta strain my head These lines already know your heart Before I ever said Old tune hums itself along Like it’s always been around Nostalgia does the heavy lift I don’t have to write it down [Long Solo] [Verse 5] They say the river wrote it, say the wind knows best They say the river wrote it, say the wind knows best Funny how the wind got publishing And the river gets the rest [Verse 6] If you ask too many questions, they’ll hush you quick Yeah if you ask too many questions, they’ll hush you quick Say “son this song’s been around forever” Then they cash another check real slick [Chorus] Oh it’s broken laughter, cracks don’t ever show Yeah it’s broken laughter, cracks don’t ever show Smile glued on with folklore And a footnote down below [Verse 7] I ain’t sayin’ I wrote it, I ain’t sayin’ it’s mine No I ain’t sayin’ I wrote it, I ain’t sayin’ it’s mine I just learned it yesterday mornin’ And forgot it just in time [Outro] So sing it real soft, like you always knew Yeah sing it real soft, like you always knew If anyone asks where it came from Just say “traditional”… Like everyone do [Outro] [End Song] [End]
