A Plea For Tenderness (Live)

[Intro]
Now, this next song is for all the women in the audience
A song for the girls
Hey girls, do you hate men?
Do you hate the Earth?

[Verse 1]
Well, I still see tenderness in your face
And innocence straight from infant days
And there must be tenderness, deep inside
You're so cold, but it shows

[Verse 2]
You told me about school
I only want to know about you
And it hurts me now
And it scares me now
And now you know

[Verse 3]
But, if you care about me
(Tell me now)
If I'm better than the wall
(Tell me now)
If it's important when I touch your hand
Then you'd better
Tell me now

[Verse 4]
Well, now, I've just read some writers
From the old days
Because I knew, I knew that they'd understand
Because dignity, and dignity, and tenderness
Should apply to modern romance

[Verse 5]
So, I don't wanna know
I'm just not interested in your school
(I gotta tell ya)
I don't wanna know
I don't wanna hear about your stupid cats
(Or your homework)
Just talk about love, or sex, or starving hearts
Or just shut up, and I'll go

[Verse 6]
But if you care about me
(Tell me now)
If I'm better than the wall
(Tell me now)
If it's important when I touch your hand
(Tell me now)
If it's important when I come to your kitchen
(Tell me now)

[Verse 7]
When it's late at night, and when it's cold at night
When it's dark outside, when it's cold outside
(Tell me now)
I wanna know if it's important when I touch your hand
When you're all alone
(Tell me now)

[Verse 8]
If you really want to talk to me
(Tell me now)
And if you're lookin' for a lover
(Tell me now)
I mean, if you need a lover
(Tell me now)
If you're ready to be honest with a lover
(Tell me now)

[Verse 9]
If it's important when you're alone at night
And when it's cold at night, and when it's dark at night
(Tell me now)
When it's cold outside, when it's sad outside
And when I'm sad outside, by the streetlight
(Tell me now)
Near your house, and near your kitchen door
I'm stumped, because I'm scared
(Tell me now)

[Verse 10]
Because I'm sad
Because it's cold at night, because it's dark at night
(Tell me now)
And I'm alone at night
I'm so sad, and I'm so scared
And I want to know, if you'll tell me
(Tell me now)

[Verse 11]
If you care about me
And if you care about yourself
(Tell me now)
And if you'll stop taking drugs
And if you'll stop bein' so hard
(Tell me now)
And if you'll stop bein' hard to talk to
And if you'll let me come inside
(Tell me now)
And I can talk to you
When it's dark at night, and when it's sad at night
(Tell me now)

[Verse 12]
And I'm alone at night
I don't want to be alone at night
(Tell me now)
I don't want to be sad at night
(Tell me now)
I want to help you, when it's cold outside
When you're all around, when it's sad outside
(Tell me now)
I want you to tell me now
(Tell me now)

[Verse 13]
I can't wait another day, you gotta
(Tell me now)
I can't wait another minute
It's now or never
(Tell me now)
It's now or never
You gotta tell
(Tell me now)
You gotta tell
You can't hide
Or take drugs
Or cigarettes
(Tell me now)

[Verse 14]
Or dark outside
Or cats
Or these other things that you use
So I can't see you clear
(Tell me now)
I want to see you clear
I want to talk to you now
You've got to be honest now
You've got to tell me now
(Tell me now)
If you care about me, alright
You can tell me now

[Break]
Wait a minute
Wait a minute
I want to say
I want to tell you somethin' else, now
Wait a minute
"I want to show you that I understand you, now"
This is the guy talkin' to the girlfriend
He's gonna show you, he's gonna show you that he understands the deepest, darkest parts
When he says

[Verse 15]
He says I know how beautiful death is
And I know why you hate life
But, I'm just a tender soul
So, be glad you know

[Verse 16]
I want to tell ya
That all men are just tender souls
And be glad that you know