You stand there by the rusted gate
The city clock is running late
You watch the man with steady hand
Who works a piece of weathered land
Rub the leather till it glows
Where the backyard ivy grows
Slow it down and feel the beat
Far away from every street
The workshop smells of oil and glue
The morning sky is turning blue
You see the brush in rhythmic swing
While old metal bells begin to ring
Rub the leather till it glows
Where the backyard ivy grows
Slow it down and feel the beat
Far away from every street
The garden fence is sinking deep
While the tired neighborhood will sleep
He polishes a heavy shoe
As if the world was born anew
A driver knows the shortest way
But some things take a whole damn day
Don't rush the grain or break the thread
Just follow where the leather led
You lean against the peeling wall
Wait for the evening light to fall
The cobbler hums a low-key tune
Underneath a pale winter moon
Rub the leather till it glows
Where the backyard ivy grows
Slow it down and feel the beat
Far away from every street
The iron rusts in salt and grime
A slow dance with the hand of time
You find a peace you never knew
In a shade of midnight blue
Rub the leather till it glows
Where the backyard ivy grows
Slow it down and feel the beat
Far away from every street
Just keep it slow.
Let the leather glow.
Keep it slow.
