The Ballad of Shelby and Joel
A Punk-Rock Song
Now I'm just a punk and I don't know a thing about love
But there's two kids I know and the word fits them like a glove
And there's something cliché about the way they feel for each other
But there's a little cliché in every time two people decide
They love one another
Shelby is eighteen and she's already got two kids
And her boyfriend's named Joel and he doesn't judge her for it
He's just twenty one and who is he two know what she's in it for
Shelby tells Joel she's in love now and she wasn't before
Joel and Shelby, Shelby and Joel
Where'd you get the idea that love is something you can control?
Shelby still in high school and Joel's mom was teaching her art
And Joel lives down the street and that's as good a place as any to start
Joel started babysitting Shelby's kids while she went to school
And Shelby noticed that when Joel was around she couldn't keep her cool
And Shelby said Joel baby I thought I was learning about love
But two kids latter I don't know just what I was thinking of
Joel said Shelby I think your body is magic
That I'm not the father doesn't have to be one bit tragic
Joel and Shelby, Shelby and Joel
Why do you think you're in love? It's out of your control
And Shelby said I won't tell my mom about you if you don't tell your dad about me
Now I never been in love but there was Shelby asking me why
She thought that if Joel and her weren't in love she'd just die
I said Shelby, you ain't got to worry ‘bout a thing
If you've come this far and you still want to be in love that's everything
Shelby, you're young enough to take my advice
If you gotta chance at love then there's no time left to think twice
Your kids are getting older and you're graduating from school
And if Joel is the one then I don't want you to act the fool
Joel and Shelby, Shelby and Joel
Won't you show me that love is something I can control. Something I can control
So take him to church, take him to bed
Ask him about what his mom said
About all the paint you spilled in school
And please Shelby don't loose your cool
Don't loose your cool, this time don't loose your cool