Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

By the Book Lyrics by Michael Penn

Free-For-All

0

Always been horseblinded
Could never see
Past the two shades on the periphery
I ask you for mercy
And beg clemency
But something I'm thinking is sticking with me
When you're all alone
And I am not around
I know that you think me
As cold as the ground
I don't play accordion, we disagree
But something I'm feeling is sticking with me
If this ain't by the book then the book must be wrong
And maybe it is what you hoped all along
Now you didn't think I would go quietly
When something about you is sticking with me
This person I've been wasn't me I surmise
You know me too well
You'd see through a disguise
Someone must have cloned a facsimile
It bears repeating "sticking with me"
They're cutting the bull
And they're drinking its blood
Show me a patriot
Show me a scud
And that's about all I can get from TV
There's still this feeling sticking with me
If this ain't by the book then the book must be wrong
Can't we sleep in
You can wake me at dawn
We'll start us a regular royal dynasty
So long as you are only sticking with me
Sticking with me
Sticking with me
Sticking with me
Sticking with me
Sticking with me
Sticking with me
Sticking with me
Credits
Michael Penn

Michael Penn

About “By the Book” by Michael Penn

Read the complete lyrics to "By the Book" by Michael Penn from the album "Free-For-All". 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 Pop.

"By the Book" is performed by Michael Penn. from the album "Free-For-All" 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 "By the Book", explore more songs by Michael Penn 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.

View all songs and biography for Michael Penn · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"By the Book" is credited to Michael Penn. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"By the Book" appears on "Free-For-All".

Visit the Michael Penn artist page at /artist/michael-penn for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.