She was twenty six when she came to the burbs Where the family secrets stop at the curbs I was nine when she moved next door She had married a republican he was for the war He was mean he beat her up All the time preaching that republican stuff Hated blacks hated jews Knelt down sundays at our lady of the blues Over at my house things were sad Because my folks were always fighting that made me feel bad I went to her door with a cookie tin I said i am your neighbor would 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 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 Then one day we found a sick bird On the very same doorstep where i first met her Being a nurse well, she took the bird in And we fed her with an eye dropper til the 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 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