Innocence Maintained (Live At Wheeler Opera House, Aspen, Colorado – January 22, 1999)

[Intro]
I played this song in Germany
And, uh, I did a bunch of interviews for it and these interviews were like, "So will you tell me what you mean by Hitler loving blue-eyed boys?"
Um
You know, nothing, really
Nothing

[Verse 1]
Ophelia drowned in the water, crushed by her own weight
And Hitler loved little blue-eyed boys and it drove him to hate
Birds always grow silent before the night descends
'Cause nature has a funny way of breaking what does not bend

[Verse 2]
A hero's torso built of steel and Novocaine
His heart a bitter beat inside a bloodless frame
There was a hole inside his soul a manicure couldn't fill
So he found himself a whore to love while daisies choked in the windowsill

[Chorus]
We've made houses for hatred, it's time we made a place
Where people's souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other, these fragile flames
For innocence can't be lost, it just needs to be maintained
Hey, hey, hey

[Verse 3]
In a small town in Ohio, two boys are filled with violence
And darkness spreads its legs for hate and ignorance
We are given to a God to put our faith therein
But to be forgiven, we must first believe in sin

[Chorus]
We've made houses for hatred, it's time we made a place
Where people's souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other, these fragile flames
For innocence can't be lost, it just needs to be maintained
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

[Post-Chorus]
Oh
Hey, hey, hey

[Bridge]
I want to live bravely and love without fear
I want always to feel the wings of grace near
We all will be christed when we hear ourselves say
We are that to which we pray

[Chorus]
We've made houses for hatred, it's time we made a place
Where people's souls may be seen and made safe
Be careful with each other, these fragile flames
For innocence can't be lost, it just needs to be maintained

[Outro]
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey