Secret South
Album - 13 aprile 2000 - Debaser id 116853

Hey mister with your iron feet, yeah
Never waver from your path
You think you got away with somethin' boy
Well see his hand, and feel his staff

Hey you got a way with words alright, yeah
Quite a way with the ladies
Your thoughts are troubled
As you hang a left
Oh, there ain't no maybes

Come and sing me down
Give my conscience a poundin'
Come and shake my ground, Lord
With the sound of heaven's houndin'

You're thinkin' when this is all over
We'll all just sit back and laugh
Well I don't think so friend 'cause
I done the math

And I ain't lookin' to gain any honor
No, no not among you thieves
I'll be there right beside you though
In judgement on my knees

Now here you come a draggin'
Just couldn't help yourself
Puttin' on your poor mouth and
Takin' from his wealth
You come up proper, and you
You ride a faithless steed
Took it down the wrong road somewhere
Lord, help him deal

Come and sing me down
Give me conscience a poundin'
Come and shake my ground
With the sound of heaven's houndin'
Ah, yeah

Come and sing us down
Give our conscience a poundin'
Come and take our crown, Lord
With the sound of heaven's houndin'

Come and take our crowns, Lord
Give our conscience a poundin'
Come and take our crown, Lord
With the sound of heaven's houndin'

lovely lovely carol sue
i see the heel of the father
crush the head of the serpent for you
an' that beast who found
his way up to your room
you know the one the one
who's colors are never true
yeah you do

yet all the while 'neath
his banner you did stand
'neath the shadow of his wing
do you remember
sorrow stands near an' close at hand
sorrow stands an' in sorrow's hand
the burning ember

he'll come a cinder
fire call the kettle black
the dark can only hinder it
it will not hold you back
nor tear you asunder

and the good shepherd
lo he left all the others
an' went to look for you
yes an' he did find thee
an' with bruised hands
he did unbind thee
brought you out
into the light of day

he'll come a cinder
fire call the kettle black
the dark can only hinder it
it will not hold you back
nor tear you asunder

o come and stand with me mother
as we wait for the master's voice
an' head that way together

he'll come a cinder
fire call the kettle black
the dark can only hinder it
it will not hold you back
nor tear you asunder

All the widows watch
Through all window sills
Hair raising in every room
Up the street come a walking chill
An you ask for nothing
'Cept to be by my side

See my tears good father
Will they wash it away
All my dirt from your holy feet
No I don't believe it work that way
'Cause you ask for nothing
'Cept to be by my side

I seen you in the river
Before God and man
Held by the holy hand of winter
Laid low by winter's holy hand

Yes my sister girl
I know that it is true
You see me with the Lord's eye girl
An you see right through
An you ask for nothin'
Is there something behind my eyes

I can look good I swear
When the spirit blows
All ore and all through yea
My wretched bones
An you look for nothin'
'Cept to be by my side love

I seen you in the river
Before God and man
Held by the holy hand of winter
An brought low by winter's holy hand

is anything as lovely to me
as the truth in love
i'll take it over freedom any day
it brings me ever an' this time to my knees
an' on my knees i run away

yes i know your sticks and stones they
they will easily break these bones an'
an' all my words come back to haunt me
i will put my strength into
the things left standing
i am hoarse with wild eyes
no debts outstanding

my hands are yours my brother
you can take my coat as well
my eyes are yours sister
and my heart, and my heart
in which he dwells

heard the voice of my master callin' me
from deep in the hollow
said that I must follow him there yeah
is any place darker for me
with all them wolves about
well it's a poor mouth that I wear

my hands are yours my brother
you can take my coat as well
my eyes are yours sister
and my heart, and my heart
in which he dwells

livin' from hand to poor mouth
you an' me an' my secret south

Tonight you've caught your breath
You've lost your American spirit
If only I could catch my death
Just give me long enough to fear it

Her talk ain't like the other girls
She takes my livin' at a glance
We hear the locust rasp back and forth
An through our thoughts the past does dance

Do I waste my time
Yea well you know it
An as I stroll through the room
See my features show it

Feel the hand on my shoulder
It calls me to dwell
Take a breath hard an clear
Like a hammer on a church bell

Well hey, I been down that a way
With a dream on my arm
Yet me and my love we could not stay
We heard voices of children
And by little hands were led astray

All the boughs bend for us
All the earth awaits thee
All the stones they will cry out
And every tongue confess thee

Oh, my dream come and take me quickly
'Fore the struggle take me
Yeah, lay me down any way you choose
And let the voices of our children wake me, yeah

The boughs they all will bend for us
And all the earth awaits thee
All the stones they will cry out
Yes and every tongue confess thee

And though the word yes
It falls on deaf ears
It is spoken just the same
The word stands
Look straight at every man
From kings down to the lay

Well I told it fast and glad
The color of a sloe drink
Or so they say
So they say by the light of day
Hidden 'neath their wings
Of black, brown and grey

The boughs they all will bend for us
And all the earth awaits thee
All the stones they will cry out
And every tongue confess thee

And though the word yes
It falls on deaf ears
It is spoken just the same
The word stands
Look straight at every man
From kings down to the lay
Ahhh

little johanna girl of my prairie
help me fill this house with living words
further up an' further in
let 'em fly from our lips
just like birds
just like birds

all that dark woods from pakistan
the glory the glory lodged inside
strive to enter the narrow gate child
to the fountain that flows deep an' wide

he will never leave you
my much afraid
he waits patient
in our prayers unprayed

now stay close to me
in an' amongst the trees
i'll carry your shoes child
you run an' play beneath the eaves

our faith will come by the hearin'
a whisper in the leaves
listen johanna hear his voice
in the drone of the bees

he will never leave you
my much afraid
he waits patient
in our prayers unprayed

I guess you didn't hear me
When I told you for the first time
Well don't you worry
It won't be the last
All I need a floorboard
An a wooden shoe
Step aside an let my lady through

Hey foot, straw foot
Low we lay 'em down
Hey foot, straw foot
Up an back around

See the high priest
He took my place
When the judge looks to me
He saw a son's face
Not gonna join you in
Your tower of babble, boy
Tired of that talkin'
I'm sick of that noise

Hey foot, straw foot
Low we lay 'em down
Hey foot, straw foot
Coverin' ground

I am not alone
An looks can be deceivin'
When we get down to it
You're talkin' when you
Should be leavin'
I've been to Nebraska
It reminded me of Spain
All the questions loaded
All my answers same

Hey foot, straw foot
Low we lay 'em down
Hay foot, straw foot
Coverin' ground

Let us not mince our words
let's say it true this time
I need your forgiveness
Just like you need mine
Tell me how it is that
You don't want what He's given
It ain't no sin, son
To be forgiven

Hey foot, straw foot
Low we lay 'em down
Hey foot, straw foot
All over town