Story Behind The Song

I ran away from home when I was 12 years old. When I came home, everyone knew my name and thought they knew my life story. I was on the news, in the papers. It was kind of like when Cecelia Zhang disppeared. They thought I was dead. This song just kind of wrote itself when I was 19. I am using the voice of someone else when I tell the story... I am saying the kinds of things they were saying to me... the accusations, the rhumours. The tone is very cruel and accusing, even though the hook is "Come home, it's been so long", as if well-meaning.

Song Description

A haunting song about a runaway girl who comes home to find that she is famous, told from the perspective of someone in her community. Features a piano solo by Paul Noonan in this production.

Lyrics

Milk Carton Girl
Music and Lyrics by Marianne Baker

Verse 1:
Milk Carton Girl, where did you go?
Did they take you? Did you go alone?
Did you use your thumb? Use your tongue?
Who are you running from?
Milk Carton Girl, what do you know?
Did you find baby Jesus lying in the snow?
Did you hide in the dark? Sleep in the park?
Did you dream out loud and did you call it art?

Chorus:
Well, come home now
It's been so long
And we've all been searching for you
Come home now
It's been so long
And everybody's been talking about you

Verse 2:
Milk carton girl, your belly's full
Is your secret maybe starting to show?
Did you eat too much? Let yourself go?
Or did you give in and just let him blow?

(Chorus)

Bridge:
Everybody knows your name
You're famous
Your family's been put to shame
Congratulations
We lie in our beds at night
thinking you are dead and gone
Holding our breath, holding you in our minds
wondering where we went wrong...

(Chorus)...

Everybody's been talking about you...