I took a vow of silence in the spring
While working for the PR firm
They were good about it for a while
But finally they had to let me go
They said your clients want to hear something positive
But you don’t say anything at all
I shrugged and I punched my last time card
Shook hands all around and left

Vow of silence
Vow of silence
Vow of silence
All day

And I took Jean Staley for a lover
Cause of how her arms did feel
We looked each other in the eye
We twist together like a pretzel
Jean Staley says I like the way you move
She says I like the way you don’t crowd me
Jean Staley she says a lotta good things
& I don’t say anything at all

Vow of silence
Vow of silence
Vow of silence
All night

And my silence went through the summer
Clear to the fourth of July
When everybody else was out screaming
And I was home staring at the ceiling
But then I drove to Tijuana
With a coconut and Jean Staley
Intending to go see a bullfight
That I missed when I went to Spain

Vow of silence
Vow of silence
Vow of silence
In the rain

We’d already been to all the ballparks
Seen the crappy teams play ball
We’d spent our time at the racetrack
& seen a couple ponies fall
But now it was time to get serious
See a man face death in the ring
We took out own water ‘cause it’s Mexico
The sun was hot and I kept my

Vow of silence
Vow of silence
Vow of silence
In the ring

Well maybe it was all about her hands
Maybe the pictures she made
Maybe ‘cause she is the only one
That calls me by my name
But for some funny-strange reason
Jean Staley never learned how to crowd me
So I keep my vow of silence
And our love blooms like the desert

Vow of Silence
Vow of Silence
Vow of Silence
All night

(lyrics: Dan Bern)