“We Were Young” was track 10 on the original release of Hours Were the Birds in 2014. On Saddle Creek’s 2018 re-release, this track was replaced with “A Love of Some Kind.” Regarding the switch, Adrianne made this comment:
i felt like it didn’t belong on the album any more. kinda like a re pressing...
[Verse 1]
Wild and free, seventeen
You were only seventeen
And your mind was beatin' like a djembe drum
We were young, we were young
You were mine and we were young
And our love was burnin'
Life was but a dream
[Verse 2]
I got lost a few times
You knew everywhere I'd hide
You would look and call, and eventually I'd come
We were young, we were young
We got lost when we were young
But our hearts were always easy to unwind
[Verse 3]
Two years gone, you were gone
You were off to share your song
Off to heal the aching pieces of the Earth
And it hurt when you left
But I never told you how
'Cause I wanted you to go and travel on
Travel on, travel on
We were young and you were gone
Off to heal the aching pieces of the Earth
[Chorus]
Oh, love, will you stay awake tonight
We can live tonight
In between this
Oh, phone line, please be clear tonight
Let me hear tonight
Dear, I need this
[Verse 4]
Ten years flew, and you'd write
And I'd call you every night
And we'd close our eyes and meet there in our sleep
And you'd keep me a light
In your window so I'd know
After all those years that, still, my home is you
[Chorus]
Oh, love, will you stay awake tonight
We can live tonight
In between this
Oh, phone line, please be clear tonight
Let me hear tonight
Dear, I need the
[Outro]
Whole world to wait
The whole world to wait
The whole world to wait
We Were Young was written by Adrianne Lenker.
We Were Young was produced by Rob Oesterlin.
Adrianne Lenker released We Were Young on Thu Jan 09 2014.