Solitary Word

Lyrics: Robert Hunter
Music: Jim Lauderdale

There is some confusion over the title of this song. It is given as "Solitary Word" on the Blue Moon Junction CD, and the lyrics refer to "solitary word". But the title is given as "Solitary World" on Jim Lauderdale's website and that title is picked up on several other websites as well as in the ASCAP listings for Robert Hunter. I think it must be a mistake.

It don't come so easy as once it came before
Got to get up earlier, just fifteen minutes more
It's how you say it, more than what you say
The way you play it, more than what you play

Open up the window, hear what might be heard
Peals of naked thunder or some solitary word
Solitary, solitary word
Peals of naked thunder or some solitary word

It's the way you say it while the wheel's in play
What you think I told you, not what I tried to say
No matter what went down, deep in the distant past
Forgive it, just forget it, if you want our love to last

Hot as noon and blazes, a thousand shades of cold
From hell to hallelujah, telling less than could be told
Not what you say, that's where you get it wrong
Try to make it pay, you'll find it's just another song

It's the way you say it while the wheel's in play
What you think I told you, not what I tried to say
No matter what went down, deep in the distant past
Forgive it, just forget it, if you want our love to last

Open up the window, hear what might be heard
Peals of naked thunder or some solitary word
Solitary, solitary word
Peals of naked thunder or some solitary word

It's how you say it, more than what you say
The way you play it, more than what you play