[Verse 1]
She was twenty six when she came to the burbs
Where the family secrets stop at the curbs
(Stop at the curbs, stop at the curbs)
I was nine when she moved next door
She had married a Republican, he was for the war
(He was for the war, he was for the war)
He was mean, he beat her up
All the time preaching that Republican stuff
Hated blacks, he hated Jews
He knelt down Sundays at our lady of the blues
(Our lady of the blues, lady of the blues)

[Verse 2]
Over at my house things were sad
Because my folks were always fighting, that made me feel bad
(Me feel bad, me feel bad)
I went to her door with a cookie tin
I said I am your neighbor, could you let me in?
(Could you let me in, could you let me in)
She was big, having a baby
She asked me are you hungry and I said maybe
She gave me soup, a piece of toast
She gave me what I needed the most

[Chorus]
Yeah
Thank you for the love you gave
To me as a child
There must have been so much pain
That you never cried
In my
Home away from home
Home away from home
[Verse 3]
Then one day we found a sick bird
On the very same doorstep where I first met her
(First met her)
Being a nurse well, she took the bird in
And we fed her with an eye dropper 'til the following spring
(Following spring)
When the time came to let the bird go
This is what she said when I cried no
If you keep her locked inside
Honey, she won't be able to fly

[Chorus]
Yeah
Thank you for the love you gave
To me as a child
There must have been so much pain
That you kept inside
In my
Home away from home
Home away from home
Home away from home