01 You were dancin' in the kitchen just a minute ago Strawberry cheeks and red hair burnin' brighter than you know I know that fire, darlin' — it was mine before your birth And I thank God for every mile it chased me 'cross this earth
02 But a wild horse full of thunder needs a hand upon the rein It ain't the whip that tames her — it's a whisper with a Name So keep His Spirit in you where the power meets the will He don't break a horse's spirit — He just teaches it... be still
03 Rosemary, when you pick what to chase Let it be people, not the things that fall away And don't hold out for a love that never carried any weight 'Cause it don't take nothin' special to love somebody spotless And spotless is a lonely place Lead 'em, laugh with 'em, love the ones He gave 'Cause the ones worth runnin' with Will run with you the whole race
04 You carry your great-grandma's name — an Irish girl of steel Who thanked the Lord through hungry years for every humble meal She raised up seven, soft and steady, loved one man her whole life through And the strongest voice I ever heard was the one that whispered too
05 There's a room inside your rib cage that the whole world walks right past I'm the only one who's seen it, girl — how deep, how wide, how vast You cheer the loudest for the ones still runnin' at the back But you feel it to the marrow when a love don't love you back So guard the door but don't you lock it — some are worthy of that space And the ones who hold a key there — Lord, let 'em earn the place
06 One day you'll hang your name above a little salon door Sendin' this town out beautiful — but honey, you give more And when a boy walks from the timber with his hat down in his hand He better know you ain't a trophy — you're the best of this whole land
07 Perfect people don't need pardon, and they don't need you Love was made for mended fences, made for broke-in shoes The stains are where the story is — the scars are where it's true Rosemary, love like Jesus — 'cause that's how He loves you
08 They say rosemary's for remembrance — now I know that sayin's true 'Cause I see her thankful fire every time I look at you You're the finest thing your mama and me ever got to hold And the prettiest part of you, sweetheart, is the part that don't get old
09 Rosemary, when you pick what to chase Let it be people, not the things that fall away And don't hold out for a love that never carried any weight 'Cause it don't take nothin' special to love somebody spotless And spotless is a lonely place Lead 'em, laugh with 'em, love the ones He gave And the ones worth runnin' with will run with you And I'll be runnin' with you your whole race
10 You were dancin' in the kitchen just a minute ago Those blue eyes still undo me like they did your first hello Save a dance for Daddy 'fore you go... Rosemary
Words and music by Nathanael Joseph. © Nathanael Joseph Ende. All rights reserved. Quote a line with credit; please don't reprint the whole song.
