What the words meant

The first time I heard it
Didn't know what it was
I listened to it over and over
I couldn't get enough
I knew every syllable
And the space in between
And I wondered
What my own song would be

I thought I understood what the words meant
I thought I knew the meaning behind
I memorized the sounds and the rhythms
And wondered about the stories inside
I thought I understood what the words meant
I thought that they were written for me
A message spelled out in a language
That only those who've been there
Been there can read

The first time I heard it
Didn't know what it was
It was foreign and angry and brilliant
I couldn't get enough
But the story behind it
You revealed it to me
And I realized
You had lived through what I had never seen

I never understood what the words meant
I never knew the meaning behind
I memorized the sounds and the rhythms
But didn't know the stories inside
I never understood what the words meant
The words were never written for me
A message spelled out in a language
That only those who've been there
Been there can read

I wish I didn't know what the words meant
Or understand the meaning behind
I memorized the sounds and the rhythms
And now I know the stories inside
I wish I didn't know the words meant
That they were never written for me
A message spelled out in a language
That only those who've been there
Been there can read

Been there
Been there can read
Been there
Been there can read