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Knowing How the World Works Lyrics by Les Savy Fav

Inches

2004

Papa don't preach
Papa don't preach
I said, "Papa don't preach."
Come on, papa don't preach
Papa don't preach
I beseech you, man
Your devilish deeds
Teach more than a teacher can
What have we learned?
Which lessons won't stick?
Tracing the edges of wisdom and shit
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
You're tracing its movements
Predict its every turn
You watch down from above
And record what you learn
You're graphing the data
And tagging up our ears
Complex simulations
With graph paper gears
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
Wistful in his widow's peak
So to speak, he stands
A son confronts his father
With his hat in his hands
All the things you never could do
I never can
All the things I blamed on you
I see I now do, too
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
Knowing how the world works
Is not knowing how to work the world
A handful of stories
A house full of cards
A mouthful of sorrys
And a heart full up of scars
I'll take a handful of you
And take a handful of me
I put it in my mouth
And chew it up so thoroughly
I learned just one thing when I was young:
Pretend that you hate everything you love
I learned just one thing when I was young:
Pretend that you hate everything you love
I learned just one thing when I was young:
Pretend that you hate everything you love
I learned just one thing when I was young:
Pretend that you hate everything you love
Credits
Les Savy Fav

Les Savy Fav

About “Knowing How the World Works” by Les Savy Fav

Read the complete lyrics to "Knowing How the World Works" by Les Savy Fav from the album "Inches" in 2004. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rock.

"Knowing How the World Works" is performed by Les Savy Fav. from the album "Inches" in 2004 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Knowing How the World Works", explore more songs by Les Savy Fav using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Knowing How the World Works" is credited to Les Savy Fav. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Knowing How the World Works" appears on "Inches" in 2004.

Visit the Les Savy Fav artist page at /artist/les-savy-fav for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.