Lyrics © 2009 Teddy Hesper

Under Desert Skies

Heard it on the radio today
The newsreader said there's a war on the way
And every able man is required
To sign up or hang for refusing to fight

So under desert skies I'll ride into the night
Under desert skies - alone but alive
Goodbye my love, Mary

There's panic brewing out in the streets
They're blocking the roads so that no one can leave
I thought this was a democracy
I won't be a slave in the land of the free

So under desert skies I'll ride into the night
Under desert skies - alone but alive
Goodbye my love, Mary

Out there on the road's where I'll be
The life of outlaw's all that's left for me
I don't know when I'll come back this way
I promise that we'll be together again some day

Under desert skies I'll wave the past goodbye
Under desert skies I'll wave the past goodbye
Goodbye my love, Mary

The Death Of Louis Lecoeur

Louis waves to Roxy, says he'll be back in an hour
Locks her in and heads out to the bars down in the town
Seven hours later she's still lying alone in bed
While he spends all their money playing poker and roulette

There's lipstick on his collar, there's whiskey on his breath
He stumbles to the bedroom and he lights a cigarette
Reaches out to touch her but he finds she isn't there
Instead she finds a note from her that says she's run away

He finds her by the highway, she's trying to hitch a ride
He puts his hands around her throat there's hatred in his eyes
She begs for him to let her go, he screams he wants her dead
She pulls a knife out from her boot and stabs him in the neck

The Dark Highway

Roxy met Jack Valentine on Christmas Eve, back in '29
He picked her up at a quarter to eight, she was hitching a ride on the Interstate
He saw the blood stained on her hands, but he thought he'd give this girl a chance

From the moment he laid eyes on her Jack knew they'd never part
They were two of a kind, partners in crime and doomed from the start
He said 'where do you wanna go today?' and she said 'let's ride along the Dark Highway'

They stopped in at a pawn shop, saw some instruments for sale
They had no money on them so they stole them, made their getaway
They rode along the Dark Highway

Well, 4 years passed, their legend grew across the Southern States
They played in every town they found, then robbed it the next day
They rode along the Dark Highway

They knew someday their time would come - the lawmen always win
And death's the final wage you'll earn from living life in sin
Hell, we all gotta die some day... until then they'd ride along the Dark Highway

Outlaw Lovenote

I'm not the dashing rebel of the kind you may have seen
Played out upon the stage or captured on the silver screen
I've turned against my country and I've left my family
A life that's filled with danger is all that remains for me

It's too late for turning back
The cards are dealt, the deck is stacked
There's no way to turn back time
And there ain't no happy ending at the end of the line

I'm not a helpless princess or a damsel in distress
I'm not waiting for some hero to come save me, I confess
Cos I've been trapped my whole life, and now I've set myself free
I'm looking for some action, and a man who's damned like me

It's too late for turning back
The cards are dealt, the deck is stacked
There's no way to turn back time
And there ain't no happy ending at the end of the line

Well, if we can't be good folk, then
Let's be the worst they've ever seen
Let's start a riot in every town
Til we are 6 feet underground

Johnny Moorview and The Heart Attacks

I was at a jam in some seedy motel bar
Roxy was beatin' on the drums, Jack playing some mean bass guitar
A stranger took to the stage and struck a chord
I swear the devil danced upon that old guitar's fretboard
Hold on, he said, rock'n'roll ain't dead...

Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks
Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks
Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks
Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks

He could make that guitar wail like the demons of hell
Or sing as sweet as an angel from heaven above
That Johnny was a preacher man, layin' out his soul
Spreading the gospel of the revolution he called rock and roll
Hold on, he said rock'n'roll ain't dead...

Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks
Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks
Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks
Johnny Moorview And The Heart Attacks

Deserter's Lament

My love, do you remember when we were together last?
You told me that you loved me, that we’d never be apart
The next day, you had disappeared - a note left in your place
You fled the noble call to war and left me in disgrace

You’re dead to me

Now as your brothers march away, under our nation's flag
I stand alone, not knowing if you're ever coming back
How proud the other women, as their husbands pass on by
And wretched me, deserted here, to mourn your treachery

You’re dead to me

Father Blackheart


Gave my life to Jesus cos the lord showed me the way
Came to me and told me that all sinners have to pay
So I left everything I had andset out on that very day
My service piece strapped on my waist in my jet black chevrolet

To some folk 4 walls in a home
To me that's just a prison cell
Yeah all I need are these 4 wheels
My crucifix beside me
And a highway map of hell

Well, I've been told I'm crazy and that I have gone astray
No sinner ever spoke those words and lived to tell the tale
Cos when the holy spirit enters me they grovel and pray
The notches on my righteous revolver count the souls that I have saved

To some folk 4 walls in a home
To me that's just a prison cell
Yeah all I need are these 4 wheels
My crucifix beside me
And a highway map of hell

Time To Decide

Honey, you know I've got no regrets
But we can't keep on gambling like this
The odds are stacked against us now my friend
Why don't we just quit whilst we're ahead?

I'm sick and tired of this ugly life
Got a picture of a better place in mind

So wake up, please understand
We gotta get out, we got one chance

Let's change our ways while we still can
Honey, take my hand
We'll start a new life in some far off land
Honey, take my hand
We only got the one life, a single roll of the dice
So now it's time to decide
To keep on cheatin' our fate, or change before it's too late
We're gonna end up just like Bonnie And Clyde

People who we counted as our friends
All just turned against us in the end
If we don't change we're gonna wind up dead
It's time to take another path instead

I'm sick and tired of this ugly life
Got a picture of a better place in mind

So wake up, please understand
We gotta get out, we got one chance

Let's change our ways while we still can
Honey, take my hand
We'll start a new life in some far off land
Honey, take my hand
We only got the one life, a single roll of the dice
So now it's time to decide
To keep on cheatin' our fate, or change before it's too late
We're gonna end up just like Bonnie And Clyde

The Silver City Regulators

Flip a coin to decide
If you're gonna live or die
Your hand shakes as the seconds tick on by
You can run, but understand
The Silver City Regulators always get our man

The time has come to stand and fight
You can't keep running your whole life
So be a man, let's finish this tonight
Dead or alive, you're going down
The Silver City Regulators always get our man

You think that you're above the law
And smarter than the rest
We've hanged a hundred outlaws, boy
And you will be the next

Please Forgive Me

I hope that this letter finds you well, Mary
I guess you've been wondering what the hell happened to me
For ten long years I have been running away from my home
But now it is time to come back to the place I was born

So Mary, don't hate me
I'm sorry for what I've done

Please forgive me, my love
Please forgive me, my love
Please forgive me, my love
Please forgive me, my love

So all of the roads in the world led me right back to you
And the place I came from, just like I promised they would
But I left a free man, holding my head up high
They're bringing me home so that they can hang me tonight

So Mary, don't hate me
I'm sorry for what I've done

Please forgive me, my love
Please forgive me, my love
Please forgive me, my love
Please forgive me, my love

Please forgive me - I know that I've done wrong...

If I Were A Religious Man

If I were a religious man, I'd get down on my knees
And pray with all the other folk that beg to make their peace
But I've seen countless pious men crushed by the hand of fate
Forgive me if I don't repent, I know I can't be saved

We like to think that we were made in the image of the Lord
Our foolish pride has struck us blind, we're fragile and we're flawed
We tell ourselves that in our hearts there burns eternal light
But in the eyes of desperate men I've seen the darkest night

You tell me that his loving hand guides us from high above
But everywhere that I have been, I've seen the wrath of God
Lord knows, I've led a sinful life, but maybe he's to blame
If I had made a world like this, I'd hang my head in shame

We like to think that we were made in the image of the Lord
Our foolish pride has struck us blind, we're fragile and we're flawed
We tell ourselves that in our hearts there burns eternal light
But in the eyes of desperate men I've seen the darkest night

I wish that I could find my faith and pray for peace at last
But nothing I can do now's gonna save me from my past
So I'll go with my head held high, not bow down at your feet
I'll tread the unknown path ahead, we'll see where it will lead

We like to think that we were made in the image of the Lord
Our foolish pride has struck us blind, we're fragile and we're flawed
We tell ourselves that in our hearts there burns eternal light
But in the eyes of desperate men I've seen the darkest night

Gibbet Hill

The snow is falling all around, everything is quiet and still
And the footprints lead the way up to Gibbet Hill
I can feel you're here with me sitting by the hanging tree
How I long for just one kiss from your frozen lips

They bound your feet upon a horse so every one could see
Kicked him and out from under, left you swingin' from the tree
Nobody can save you now, the bell has tolled
The night the reaper came to take your soul

White roses scattered on the ground in the faded photograph
Where the red roses once lay on this lonely path
Frozen in your innocence, moonlight dancing on your face
How I long to be held now in your cold embrace

I look into your timeless eyes, they leave me feeling cold
I look at my reflection, wonder how I got so old
Nobody can turn back time, the bell has tolled
The night the reaper came to take your soul

On the lonely nights like this I come up to Gibbet Hill
And I dream that you and I are together still
Won't you come and dance with me out upon the frozen lake
Pirouette out on the ice, pray for it to break

And as I sink into the depths I dream you're here with me
You come and hold me in your arms, we sink down peacefully
And we can be together now, the bell has tolled
Tonight the reaper's here to take my soul

Gravestone Waltz

Don't cry for me by my grave, cos I'm not really gone
My body's six feet underground but my spirit's living on
Don't cry for me by my grave, cast off your veil so black
You thought you'd seen the last of me but I am coming back

Remember a time when it was just you and me, Mary Lee?
You stood by my side, an angel to watch over me
Now you stand there and cry as they close the lid over me
No, I never thought this was how the ending would be

Don't cry for me by my grave then think that you can just go
Your planning was impeccable but you'll reap what you've sown
Don't cry for me by my grave, spare me your crocodile tears
I see the hatred in your eyes - I'm stood right here, my dear

Remember a time when it was just you and me, Mary Lee?
You stood by my side, an angel to watch over me
Now I see through your lies as the gravedigger's lowering me
I never foresaw the way that you'd turn on me

Don't cry for me by my grave, don't put on such a show
No one in town suspects a thing, but girl I surely know
Don't cry for me by my grave and mock me as I lie
The blow you dealt me was enough to end my mortal life

Remember a time when it was just you and me, Mary Lee?
You stood by my side, and angel to watch over me
Now I watch as you smile as they're piling the soil over me
No, I never guessed that you'd be the one who killed me

So save your tears for yourself cos darling, this ain't the end
I'll haunt your every hour til you are lyin' here with me, my friend

Don't cry for me by my grave, don't waste your time, cos you see...
You're gonna pay for what you've done, ma belle dame sans merci

What Became Of Johnny?

So what became of Johnny? I've heard stories of his fate
Some say he hit the highway and that somehow he escaped
Or else the press gangs caught him, sent him to the killing fields
Perhaps he crashed and died whilst speeding in his automobile

He was never a stranger to a life spent on the run
His friends lived fast and died young, but his journey'd just begun
And no one knows for sure, but if he's still alive today
I'd bet somewhere old Johnny's rockin' out upon a stage

Well, I wonder where he is now - is he doing OK?
Does he still have the fire in his eyes?
I sure hope I will find out some day

Others say he wanders still until this very day
From town to town, still carrying that beat up guitar case
Still singing for the sinners, all the folks that God don't save
The lowlifes and the outlaws and the soldiers in their graves

So if one night you come across a man and his guitar
Sat playin' in the corner of some Mexicali bar
And folks swear that he sold his soul to Satan for his skill
Then maybe you will find out that old Johnny's with us still

Well, I wonder where he is now - is he doing OK?
Does he still have the fire in his eyes?
I sure hope I will find out some day



Lyrics © 2007 Teddy Hesper

SILVER CITY BURNS

As the city burned behind us we rode on
Not looking back
Yeah, the desert stretched before us as the smoke
Turned the blue sky black

I heard a voice whisper to me
Said it's time to set these sinners free
So burn their wicked souls
C'mon now, burn

As the city burned behind us we rode on
Out on the barren plains
And now the skeletons of buildings twist and fall
Into the charred remains

I heard a voice whisper to me
Said I've gotta set this city free
It's time these sinners burned
C'mon now, burn

As the city burned behind us we rode on
Away from home and into the unknown
As the city burned behind us we rode on
Away from home and into the unknown

Come on now, burn!

THE BONE COLLECTOR

So let me introduce myself
In case you don't know who I am
I know all of your secrets, dear
I'm not an ordinary man
I've watched your fragile frame
Through your window pane
I don't mean you no harm
I just wanna know your name

All the lies you've told to me
And all the truths you've been afraid to speak
They don't mean shit you see
Now you belong to me
I love you
Oh honey, honey, what's your name?
I love you baby
So come on, won't you say your name?

Well, let me introduce myself
The bone collector is my name
I'm the parasite under your skin
The poison running through your veins
I've been inside your head
Tasted all your fears
I know what makes you tick
Seen you cry so many tears

All the lies you've told to me
And all the truths you're trying not to speak
They don't mean shit you see
Now you belong to me
I love you
Oh honey, honey, what's your name?
I love you baby
So come on, won't you say your name?

I know what's been going on
So honey, come along
I know you think you're strong
But all the weak die young

Today is judgement day
So tell me, what's your name?
Today is judgement day
Your sins are on display
Today is judgement day
So tell me, what's your name?
Today is judgement day
My love, there's no escape

WEDDING DRESS

I hear you slamming the door
I hear you walk down the hall
Where did you go today?
You're dripping blood on the floor
Your dirty look says it all
Your eyes burn with hate

Oh, it comes, it comes
Rising inside of you
It comes, it's coming

Well, your wedding dress is white as snow
But your broken heart's blacker than coal, yeah
I can't believe you killed him on your wedding day

I hear a knock at the door
You take your gun from the drawer
The sheriff's come for you
You pass a note that you've scrawled
And I ask you what it's for
As you run out of the room

They've come, they're coming
Fixing their sights on you
They've come, they're coming

Now your wedding dress is stained with red
And there's body in your wedding bed, yeah
I can't believe you killed him on your wedding day

You found out that he cheated and you cut his heart out
You found out that he cheated and you cut his heart out
You found out that he cheated and you cut his heart out
You found out that he cheated and you cut his heart out

GREEN EYED JOSEPHINE

I overheard a tragic tale of love and jealousy
About a girl known in these parts as Green Eyed Josephine
She loved a local gamblin' man, his name was Johnny Black
She gave away her heart to him, but he gave nothing back

He said 'I can't take anymore, you're always so uptight'
She begged him 'please just stay for one more night'

Oh green,
Green Eyed Josephine
Oh green, oh green,
Green Eyed Josephine

When morning came he said she couldn't see him any more
He told her he'd been called up, it was time to go to war
She begged him on her knees, he said 'we're marching North today'
He held her in a cold embrace, then turned to walk away
And said 'Girl, I never loved you, but you sure helped pass the time
It's been fun, now it's time to say goodbye'

Oh green,
Green Eyed Josephine
Oh green, oh green,
Green Eyed Josephine

She waited on the main parade to watch him leave her life
He marched past in his uniform, but wouldn't catch her eye
Around his wrist was tied a handkerchief she recognised
Belonging to another girl she'd seen by Johnny's side

She said 'the bastard's treated me wrong, now it's time to make amends'
She drew her gun and aimed it at his head

Oh green,
Green Eyed Josephine
Oh green, oh green,
Green Eyed Josephine

DOWN BY THE RIVER

Down by the river, the animals slowly died
Came here for water, but God made the river dry

And as I stare out at the piles of bones
I think of the story that you once told
Of how we're controlled by the things we fear
I scream at the sky but nobody hears

Down by the river, evil men came to pray
Dreaming of water washin' their sins away

And as I stare out at the piles of bones
I think of the story that you once told
Of how we're controlled by the things we fear
I scream at the sky but nobody hears

Down by the river, crows circlin' overhead
Beg for salvation, but they know what lies ahead

And as I stare out at the piles of bones
I think of the story that you once told
Of how we're controlled by the things we fear
I scream at the sky but nobody hears
Nobody hears

Out in the desert, graves where the nameless lie
Came seeking shelter but died under clear blue sky

THE SCARLET MISTRESS

She rode in quietly in the night as the snow fell on the town
The moonlight shining on her crimson hooded gown
Nobody stirred, the air was still, yeah, nothing made a sound
But when the sunrise comes they'll know she's in town

She's stolen many lovers, led the purest ones astray
And now she's coming back to steal a man on Christmas day
Her path is is paved with hearts of men she broke along the way
So keep your husbands safe indoors tonight, it's time to pray

She rode into the churchyard as the snow fell all around
The women quietly lay in wait, she started to dismount
They ambushed her, made sure that she was tightly gagged and bound
She froze to death, alone under the stars, on holy ground

PULL THE TRIGGER

Well, there's three of us in this here bed
You and me and the devil in my my head
And three's a crowd, or so it's said
Gonna pull the trigger on the count of ten
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8... 9...

He tells me all your secrets
The things I've never seen
Yeah, can't you see what you've done to me?
Now it's time...

So what am I supposed to do?
You tell me life's a bitch, but so are you
The devil's showed a path that's true
The time has come to pay my dues
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8... 9...

He talks about your lovers
The lies and the deceit
And can't you see what you've done to me?
Now it's time...

Gonna pull the trigger on the count of ten
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8... 9... 10!

I took you to the basement
Put a bullet in my head
'I love you honey' were the last words
I said

DEAD MAN'S HAND

At the Deadwood Casino there's some trouble brewing
You're looking uptight, lady luck's not with you tonight
I think you're losing the fight

The game has been rigged, but you keep on playing
We crowd in to see what your next move's going to be
You should've listened to me

You gambled with the devil and your life was the stake
He dealt a pair of aces and a pair of eights
Boy if there's one thing that I don't understand
You should've folded when you got the dead man's hand
You got the dead man's hand
You got the dead man's hand

You've run out of credit, but you still ain't quitting
You ask for a loan, but you're out there on your own
Yeah, sinking like a stone

You throw down the cards, and I see you running
You try to escape, but you can't get out of this place
They're gonna make you pay

You gambled with the devil and your life was the stake
He dealt a pair of aces and a pair of eights
Boy if there's one thing that I don't understand
You should've folded when you got the dead man's hand
You got the dead man's hand
You got the dead man's hand

You gambled with the devil and your life was the stake
He dealt a pair of aces and a pair of eights
Boy if there's one thing that I don't understand
You never should've played on with the dead man's hand
You got the dead man's hand
You got the dead man's hand

1,2,3,4, bang, bang, bang

TEENAGE SUICIDE

She's standing up on the roof
As people in the street
Begin to notice and stare
They're pointing fingers at her
She shuts her pretty eyes
And steps out into the air

The people shake their heads
And then they just walk on by
Just another teenage suicide
And nobody gives a damn

The body's taken away
The crowd begins to leave
And things are normal again
And now the moment has passed
The street's the way it was
Just like any other day

The preacher shakes his head
And washes the blood away
Just another hellbound today
And nobody gives a damn

NO ONE LEFT TO BLAME

When I first met you, girl
You seemed so full of life
Yeah, I saw fire in your eyes
But honey, something's wrong today
The flames have died and gone away
And I see darkness deep inside

Well honey, this mess you made ain't my idea of fun
Time slows when you're staring down the barrel of a gun
Oh girl, you wanted drama, well, I think the stage is set
They walk me to the gallows with a sign around my neck

Says it's a sin to lie
And stealing is a crime
I took the fall for you
No, don't forget
You gotta make the change
You better mend your ways
Cos honey, now there's no one left to blame

You said you were in debt
And you began to cry
I can't believe that was a lie
I pawned my best guitar and saw
You go straight to the liquor store
I just can't see the funny side

Well honey, this mess you made ain't my idea of fun
Time slows when you're staring down the barrel of a gun
Oh girl, you wanted drama, well, I think the stage is set
They walk me to the gallows with a sign around my neck

Says it's a sin to lie
And stealing is a crime
I took the fall for you
No, don't forget
You gotta make the change
You better mend your ways
Cos honey, now there's no one left to blame

THE GHOST OF JOHNNY BLACK

You look over your shoulder
As you're running in the fading light
And everyone is searching for you
'Cos you killed a man here tonight
Your eyes are wide with terror
As you open up your mouth and scream
The devil that you're running from
Is me

I am the ghost of Johnny Black

Your hands are gripped together
As you ask the lord to save your soul
But it's too late for praying now
'Cos Heaven ain't where you're gonna go
Well, girl, to err is human
But to punish sinners is divine
You're gonna pay for your crime
Tonight

I am the ghost of Johnny Black

THE FIELDS WHERE NOTHING GROWS

The morning fog is rising
Over the battlefield
The desert sands are stained black
With the blood of the men we killed

So come on, tell me, where's your saviour god now?
Why weren't the good men saved?
So come on, tell me, where's your saviour god now?
What happened to your faith?

They marched for miles with heavy hearts
Across the barren lands
The blessing of the preacher on their heads
They came to fight
In the name of god
And died alone
In the fields
Where nothing grows

In the fields where nothing grows

And now the sun is shining
We stand here all alone
Amongst the piles of bodies
And ruins that we once called home

So come on, tell me, where's your saviour god now?
Is this part of his plan?
So come on, tell me, where's your saviour god now?
I just can't understand

And baby, when the fall comes
I'll be Adam to your Eve
We'll wander through the wastelands hand in hand
We'll live and die
In the absence of god
And fall side by side
In the fields
Where nothing grows

In the fields where nothing grows

So come on, honey, where's your saviour god now?
Come on, come on
So come on, honey, where's your saviour god now?
Come on, come on

I CAN SEE THE LIGHT

A hurricane's howling through my head
Tearing up the trees and leaving desert plains behind
Yeah, stormclouds are brewing in my mind

I can see we're at the end of the line
Girl, you're playing for time
You've got blood on your hands
And I don't know if it's yours or if it's mine

I can see the light, I can see the light
I can see the light, I can see the light
It shines so brightly as the walls close in on me

And as the seconds tick past
Every breath seems like the last
But honey, I'm not afraid
All stories come to a close
That's just the way that it goes
The light is fading as we play this final scene

I can see we're actors playing a part
We were doomed from the start
Hung down from the ceiling
The wires moving to an unheard melody

I can see the light, I can see the light
I can see the light, I can see the light
It shines as we act out this tragedy

And as the seconds tick past
Every breath seems like the last
But honey, I'm not afraid
All stories come to a close
That's just the way that it goes
The curtain falls and it's time for us to leave

This world wasn't meant for you or me



Lyrics © 2006 Teddy Hesper

CARPE DIEM

You're waiting to start living
But life is slipping away
You're planning out the future
But what about today?
Let's hitch a ride and get away from here
We'll live for every moment, not let anyone tell us

What to do or who to be
You gotta seize the day baby
We'll do what we want, be who we wanna be
You gotta seize the day baby

We're headed to the city
We're gonna start anew
And what about our future?
Well, we don't have a clue
Let's hit a bar and have a couple of beers
Live from day to day and not let anyone tell us

What to do or who to be
You gotta seize the day baby
We'll do what we want, be who we wanna be
You gotta seize the day baby

SEEING DOUBLE

Tonight's the night
I see you on the dancefloor
Girl, you set the room alight
You're so bright
I down another whiskey
Your body twists and turns around
Your lips move but I hear no sound
I think I've lost control
Cos now I'm seeing double

1... 2... 1... 2...

Don't look down, don't look back
Love hits you like a heart attack

Tonight's the night
You see me on the sidewalk
And you ask if I'm alright
And I try
To summon up the words
You say you wish that you could stay
But you shake your head and walk away
I think I've lost control
I'm seeing double

1... 2... 1... 2...

Don't look down, don't look back
Love hits you like a heart attack

IS IGNORANCE A SIN?

I woke up this morning
With an empty bottle of gin
I woke up this morning
And you asked me where I'd been

Now, honey
Is ignorance a sin?
Well, honey
Is ignorance a sin?

Girl, I ain't a devil
But I sure ain't saved yet
Girl I ain't a saint
But I'm drinking to forget

Now, honey
Is ignorance a sin?
Well, honey
Is ignorance a sin?

THE STREETS OF SILVER CITY

Well the barman told me to leave
And never come back to this town
But baby I've got other plans
I'm gonna burn this place right down
Well the lawman took me away
Said he'd kill me if he saw me around
Came back at dawn the next day
Razed that town right to the ground

We're riding bareback with the devil
Through the streets of Silver City

Well the townfolk took to the hills
And the sheriff came after me
I shot him in the back
Down by the old town cemetry
Well babe you told me to leave
You said I'd taken things too far
I didn't see the lynchmob
Hiding out behind the bar

We're riding bareback with the devil
Through the streets of Silver City

MARY LEE

Down by the frozen lake outside the town
Met a girl named Mary sitting there on the ground
She caught me trying to take her photograph
And chased me though the woods with a carving knife

Hey Mary, why'd you look so sad?
Hey Mary, why'd you have to be so bad?

Down by the frozen lake outside the town
Saw Mary digging up the hardened ground
I tried to see what she was burying
Didn't see the tripwires that she'd laid for me

Oh Mary, please just set me free
Yeah, I won't tell the sheriff what I've seen

FALLEN ANGEL

The clock has just struck midnight
I'm headed into town
You're queueing for the disco
Looks like you're all alone
I follow you into the light
And watch you climb the stairs
And make your way into the bar
Your halo slips a little bit further
As you sit and light a cheap cigar

You're wasting your perfection

You've got the face of an angel
But you're dressed up like a whore
You've fallen far for heaven
You used to be so pure
I follow you and watch you
As you're flirting with the drunkards
Yeah, you know they only want one thing
You're halo slips a little bit further
Oh, if you could see the state you're in

You're wasting your perfection

I follow you into the night
And push you down an alleyway
And hold your face up to the light
You're gonna pay for losing your way, girl
Cos I'm gonna end your sinning tonight

HALFWAY TO HELL

There's blood running in the streets
And an empty sky above
And now we're praying for the rain
To cleanse our blackened souls
Well, sister dear
Can it cleanse our blackened souls?
Wanna see the lightning strike
Wanna hear the thunder roll

We were halfway to heaven
But I think we lost the track
And now we're halfway to hell
And I can't see a way back

There's liquor pumping through our veins
And a body in the trunk
And now we're praying to be saved
But God don't give a fuck
Well, sister dear
I guess we're out of luck
Gonna see the lightning strike
These sinners gotta burn

We were halfway to heaven
But I think we lost the track
And now we're halfway to hell
And I can't see a way back

HER WICKED SMILE

Mary Lee was a killer
Awaiting trial on death row
She murdered 15 men
And buried them under the winter snow
And Henry James was a hangman
Mary caught his eye
She looked so lovely to him
He promised that he wouldn't let her die

She smiled her wicked smile

The hangman came at midnight
And freed her from her cell
They tiptoed past the guards
And headed for the Paradise Motel
She led him to the back room
He followed under her spell
She slit his throat with razor
Whispered that she'd see him in hell
She smiled her wicked smile

DEVIL IN DISGUISE

I see straight through your disguise
I don't believe your alibi
Honey, what have you done?
Take off your mask
Hand over the gun

I don't want to believe what I see
You're standing there in front of me
With murder in your eyes
I thought you were an angel
But you're the devil in disguise

DEAD MAN WALKING

I woke up in the gutter this morning
Watched the sun rise overhead
I woke up in the gutter
Hammers pounding in my head
You're looking like you've seen a dead man walking
Was it something I said?

They jumped me in the alley
They beat me black and blue
They left me there for dead
I watched them walk away
And I took revenge today
Read the letter with their orders from you

I woke up in the gutter this morning
With a bounty on my head
I woke up in the gutter
Went and shot those bastards dead
My story's almost over now darling
You're gonna die instead

They jumped me in the alley
They beat me black and blue
They left me there for dead
I watched them walk away
And I took revenge today
Read the letter with their orders from you

Well girl you want me dead
Now you're gonna die instead
Well girl you want me dead
Now you're gonna die instead

NEED TO KNOW

Sticks and stones can break your bones
But words can break your heart
I'm guessing what you've got to say
Might make mine fall apart
So just lay out your plans for me
And I won't be your enemy
But babe I need to know...

Did we reach the end
Before we'd found the start?

Yeah, babe I need to know...

It's 3AM, you're fast asleep
I'm lying by your side
I'm guessing you don't want to talk
It's too late, you're too tired
But secrets that you hide away
Are gonna be revealed today
Babe I need to know...

Did we reach the end
Before we'd found the start?

Yeah, babe I need to know...

Well, sticks and stones can break your bones
But words can break your heart
I'm guessing what you've got to say
Might make mine fall apart
Babe I need to know
Is this the end?

SAM COLT AND THE DEVIL

I sold my soul to the Devil
For a guitar and a gun
Got a brand new Telecaster
Got a .357 Magnum

Well honey, I've seen the light
And it don't matter if I kill tonight
Everything's gonna be alright
Sam Colt and the Devil are on our side

I sold my soul to the Devil
And he taught me how to play
Got a bounty on my head
But I ain't gonna die today

Cos honey, I've seen the light
Got my whiskey and my Python and I'm ready to ride
Everything's gonna be alright
Sam Colt and the Devil are on our side

Got a noose around my neck
Got a hangwire overhead
Got a Bible in my pocket
But I'm guessing now that Heaven ain't where I'm headed

OLD MAN MCGRAW

His roof's the sky that's above him
Don't want four walls to keep him safe
Lost everything he ever had
Now his face is lined and worn
But he's skipping through the puddles
Whilst we shelter from the storm

Old Man McGraw's on his way down
He's blind and penniless
But rich inside
Wanders alone with his memories
Smiling slightlessly at the sky

He fought hard to make a living
He walked some long and lonely trails
He liked to drink and gamble
And screw around in the good old days
Now he's sitting in the gutter
With a grin upon his face

Old Man McGraw's on his way down
He's blind and penniless
But rich inside
Wanders alone with his memories
Smiling slightlessly at the sky

ON THE RUN

The basement's rigged with dynamite
It's time to blow this place up, ride into the night
Yeah honey, I don't have no regrets
We're headed for hell, but we sure ain't finished yet

Got a bag full of money and we're on the run
Can you feel your heart hammer like a beating drum

The sirens wail, they're close behind
A couple more miles until we hit the state line
Oh honey, we're running out of time
But danger just makes me feel more alive

Got a bag full of money and we're on the run
Can you feel your heart hammer like a beating drum

Our wagon's rammed with dynamite
We're cornered but they ain't gonna take us alive
Oh Honey, I guess this is goodbye
We're headed for hell but our names will never die

HIGH OCTANE

You're just a simple girl
I'm just a simple man
But when we're on the racetrack
We've got the perfect plan
You push your motor to the limit
200 miles an hour
You feel so high when you're a winner
Yeah like you rule the world

High octane

You're just a simple girl
You blend into the crowd
But when you're on the racetrack
You stand so tall and proud
It makes you feel like you're invincible
When you're behind the wheel
You know that anything could happen
But you ain't got no fear

High octane

Well girl you knew the dangers
You thought you couldn't lose
They rush you to the hospital
I hope that you'll pull through

High octane

ESCAPE

Hey girl, don't you know? This life is just a game
That people play to win, but they all lose in the end
So take my hand, let the stars light the way
We'll ride all night til we're far away from here

We'll find a way to escape
We'll find a way to escape

Hey girl, did you think the battle had been won?
When Silver City turned to dust under the midday sun?
The battle's lost and the war has just begun
So come with me, we will run while we still can

We'll find a way to escape
We'll find a way to escape



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