If I could kill a word and watch it die
I'd poison never, shoot goodbye
Beat regret when I felt I had the nerve
I'd pound fear to a pile of sand
Choke lonely out with my bare hands
I'd hang hate so that it can't be heard
If I could only kill a word
Yeah, I'd take brokenness out back
And break heartbreak, stand there and laugh
Right in its face while shootin' it the bird
I'd put upset down in its place
I'd squeeze the life out of disgrace
Lay over under six cold feet of dirt
If I could only kill a word
Give me sticks, give stones
Bend my body, break my bones
Use staff and rod to turn me black and blue
'Cause you can't unhear, you can't unsay
But if were up to me to change
I'd turn lies and hate to love and truth
If I could only kill a word
Yeah, I'd knock out temptation's teeth
I'd sever evil and let it bleed
Then light up wicked, stand and watch it burn
I'd take vice and I'd take vile
I'd throw 'em up there with hostile
Hang 'em high and leave 'em for the birds
If I could only kill a word
Now, give me sticks, give stones (give me sticks, give stones)
Bend my body, break my bones (break my bones)
Use staff and rod to turn me black and blue (black and blue)
'Cause you can't unhear, you can't unsay (no you can't unsay!)
But if were up to me to change
I'd turn lies and hate to love and truth
If I could only kill a word
If I I, if I I could only, if I could only kill a word
Joanna Cotten
