Innocence Maintained (Live At Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado – January 22, 1999)

[Intro]

I played this song in Germany

And, uh, I did a bunch of interviews for it and these interviews were like, "So will you tell me what you mean by Hitler loving blue-eyed boys?"

Um

You know, nothing, really

Nothing

[Verse 1]

Ophelia drowned in the water, crushed by her own weight

And Hitler loved little blue-eyed boys and it drove him to hate

Birds always grow silent before the night descends

'Cause nature has a funny way of breaking what does not bend

[Verse 2]

A hero's torso built of steel and Novocaine

His heart a bitter beat inside a bloodless frame

There was a hole inside his soul a manicure couldn't fill

So he found himself a whore to love while daisies choked in the windowsill

[Chorus]

We've made houses for hatred, it's time we made a place

Where people's souls may be seen and made safe

Be careful with each other, these fragile flames

For innocence can't be lost, it just needs to be maintained

Hey, hey, hey

[Verse 3]

In a small town in Ohio, two boys are filled with violence

And darkness spreads its legs for hate and ignorance

We are given to a God to put our faith therein

But to be forgiven, we must first believe in sin

[Chorus]

We've made houses for hatred, it's time we made a place

Where people's souls may be seen and made safe

Be careful with each other, these fragile flames

For innocence can't be lost, it just needs to be maintained

Hey, hey, hey

Hey, hey, hey

[Post-Chorus]

Oh

Hey, hey, hey

[Bridge]

I want to live bravely and love without fear

I want always to feel the wings of grace near

We all will be christed when we hear ourselves say

We are that to which we pray

[Chorus]

We've made houses for hatred, it's time we made a place

Where people's souls may be seen and made safe

Be careful with each other, these fragile flames

For innocence can't be lost, it just needs to be maintained

[Outro]

Hey, hey, hey

Hey, hey, hey

Hey, hey, hey