The Artist at 40

Lyrics

[Brooks] I'm afraid to be too little I'm afraid to be too much I'm afraid that I might shatter at the slightest touch I'm afraid of growing older I'm afraid someday I'll see A desiccated shell That doesn't feel at all like me Creating Creating And talk about creating I'm so busy making art That there's no time to live the life The art is imitating [Andrea] Too frozen [Gavin] Too fluid [Billy] Too rigid [Jessica] Too limp [Andrea] I'm afraid to throw the lights on I'm afraid to brave the dark I'm afraid of growing older Growing colder Losing some essential spark Having birthdays with more candles Shedding more light on the fact That I'm no wiser than I was And there's no way of turning back [Brooks] Creating Crеating And talk about creating [Andrea/Brooks] I'm so busy making art That there's no timе to live the life The art is imitating [Brooks] I'm afraid of eating candy For the momentary sweetness [Jessica] I'm afraid of growing older Well, maybe growing older would be fine But shrinking older... That's a major fear of mine Sinking to mere thinking From a laughing gas ceiling Of unfettered feeling Falling with a thud to the floor In the single, tiny bedroom Of the mansion where I lived and loved before A single, tiny bedroom With a barricaded door [Gavin] I'm afraid to love too little I'm afraid to love too much I'm afraid that I might shudder Melt like butter at the lightest touch I'm afraid of pulling back I'm afraid of falling in [Gavin/Billy] Oh, such warm and intoxicating skin A sinful opportunity to steep in Arms to sleep in Lips to keep inviting me back for more [All] Just the other side Of this damn barricaded door! Creating Creating [Brooks] Hah! [Billy] I'm afraid of being whole [Brooks] I'm afraid to fall apart [Gavin] I'm afraid to take another step With such a heavy heart [Andrea] I'm afraid to be myself I'm afraid it's not enough [Jessica] I'm afraid to keep complaining But it's not within my training To be tight-lipped and tough [All] Creating Creating And talk about creating I'm so busy making art That there's no time to live the life The art is imitating [Billy] I'm afraid that I'm not learning What it takes to make life shine That the pages I see shining as they're turning Somehow aren't really mine [All] There's a secret in here somewhere Or a pattern or a clue I'm afraid I can't decide If it's a shining universal answer Or a tarnished point of view