The story behind this song
There are forty-two buttons up the back of the dress, and her hands know this work — they fastened the flower-girl lace at four, the dress she spun in until she fell down dizzy, every costume of a girl becoming. This morning she goes slow on purpose, one button at a time. The girl smells like the perfume her mother wore at her own wedding, found in a dresser drawer; there go the eyes again.
The cars are waiting, the music's ready, one more breath that's only theirs. For the mother who isn't losing a daughter, just letting the world see what she made.
Lyrics
Forty-two buttons up your back
And I'm taking my sweet time
And I'm taking my sweet time
I buttoned you at four years old
Into a flower girl's white lace
You spun until you fell down dizzy —
I see that same spin in your face
Into a flower girl's white lace
You spun until you fell down dizzy —
I see that same spin in your face
Hold still, baby, almost done
Hold still — let me look at you
Hold still — let me look at you
This is the day I give you away
With hands that learned you by heart
Every dress I ever fastened
Was practice for this part
I'm not losing you, my darling —
I'm just letting the world see what I made
With hands that learned you by heart
Every dress I ever fastened
Was practice for this part
I'm not losing you, my darling —
I'm just letting the world see what I made
You smell like the perfume I wore
At my own wedding, way back when
You found the bottle in my dresser —
Oh, there go my eyes again
At my own wedding, way back when
You found the bottle in my dresser —
Oh, there go my eyes again
The cars are waiting, music's ready
One more breath, just ours
One more breath, just ours
This is the day I give you away
With hands that learned you by heart
Every dress I ever fastened
Was practice for this part
I'm not losing you, my darling —
I'm just letting the world see what I made
With hands that learned you by heart
Every dress I ever fastened
Was practice for this part
I'm not losing you, my darling —
I'm just letting the world see what I made
One day it might be your turn —
Some bright morning, buttons and held breath
And you'll finally know this ache I'm wearing:
The proudest one a heart can get
Some bright morning, buttons and held breath
And you'll finally know this ache I'm wearing:
The proudest one a heart can get
This is the day I give you away
With hands that learned you by heart
Every dress I ever fastened
Was practice for this part
I'm not losing you, my darling —
I'm just letting the world see what I made
With hands that learned you by heart
Every dress I ever fastened
Was practice for this part
I'm not losing you, my darling —
I'm just letting the world see what I made
There. Last button. You're ready
Go on, my girl — I'm right behind you
Go on, my girl — I'm right behind you
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