You can tell the world you never was my girl
You can burn my clothes when I’m gone
Or you can tell your friends just what a fool I’ve been
And laughing joke about me on the phone
You can tell my arms go back into the farm
You can tell my feet to hit the floor
Or you can tell my lips to tell my fingertips
They won’t be reaching out for you no more
But don’t tell my heart, my achy — breaky heart
I just don’t think he’d understand
And if you tell my heart, my achy — breaky heart
He might blow up and kill this man
You can tell your ma, I moved to Arkansas
You can tell your dog to bite my leg
Or tell your brother Cliff, whose fist can tell my lip
He never really lied me any way
Or tell your aunt Louis tell anything you please
Himself already knows I’m not okay
Or you can tell my eyes to watch out for my mind
It might be walking out on me today
But don’t tell my heart, my achy — breaky heart
I just don’t think he’d understand
And if you tell my heart, my achy — breaky heart
He might blow up and kill this man
