Don't Tell Me

Don't Tell Me
written by Madonna, Mirwais Ahmadzai, and Joe Henry
programming, acoustic guitars, and keyboards by Mirwais
produced by Madonna and Mirwais
strings arranged and played by Michel Colombier

Don't tell me to stop
Tell the rain not to drop
Tell the wind not to blow
'Cause you said so, mmm

Tell the sun not to shine
Not to get up this time, no, no
Let it fall by the way
But don't leave me where I lay down

Chorus:

Tell me love isn't true
It's just something that we do
Tell me everything I'm not
(first time:) But please don't tell me to stop
(all other times:) But don't ever tell me to stop

Tell the leaves not to turn
But don't ever tell me I'll learn, no, no
Take the black off a crow
But don't tell me I have to go

Tell the bed not to lay
Like the open mouth of a grave, yeah
Not to stare up at me
Like a calf down on its knees

(chorus)
(chorus, prefixing 1st and 3rd lines with "Don't you ever")

[Don't you ever]
Please don't
Please don't
Please don't tell me to stop

[Don't you ever]
Don't you ever
Don't ever tell me to stop

[Tell the rain not to drop]
Tell the bed not to lay
Like a open mouth of a grave, yeah
Not to stare up at me
Like a calf down on its knees