the 90 and the 9 went down to the river
down to the river my friends
the 90 & the 9
went down to the river
down and jumped right in
they jumped right in
they jumped right in
they jumped right in my friends
the 90 & the 9
went down to the river
down and jumped right in
don’t call the cops
don’t throw the line
let them waters do their deed
these men lie on slippery banks
and bathe out in the reeds
out in the reeds, out in the reeds
out in the reeds my friends
if they’re swallowed by the greed they sell
then they won’t be seen again
if a little boy comes with a fishin’ pole
won’t you please send him away
there’s bigger fish on down the road
on down the road a ways
down the road, down the road
down the road a ways
yep, bigger fish in a cleaner stream
on down the road a ways
well the big man comes from the big house
to steal my line and pole
to force my feet on down to the bank
so down to the bank I go
Down to the bank, down to the bank, down to the bank I go
the Big Man says brother cast your line
or the devil take your soul
The big man was sleepin' up the hill 'neath the tree
while I was fishin’ for his friends
the 90 & the 9
that were too big to fail
too big but fell right in
they fell right in, they fell right in, they fell right in my friends
while the Big Man was sleepin’ up the hill ‘neath the tree
I rolled the Big Man in
I rolled the Big Man in, I rolled the Big Man in
now the 90 & the 9 are an even 100
not to be seen again
"Great Ocean"
i sailed out to find
all the good things in life
a land where the earth is all golden
to see what was a missing in my life
somewhere out across that great ocean
i went to the north where the cold winds blow
and the breezes are all frozen
i found no arms of welcoming there
anywhere out across that great ocean
my mother she sighed when that great ship i spied
my bags all packed and beside me
with a hallelujah smile said i’ll be back in a while
i’m goin’ out across that great sea
i went to the east where the rice wines come from
and the girl’s kisses won’t be stolen
i found no love, no warmth or rest
anywhere out across that great ocean
my mother she sighed when that great ship i spied
my bags all packed and beside me
with a hallelujah smile said i’ll be back in a while
i’m goin’ out across that great sea
so i set sail
back to my mother dear
to my father and brothers i took a notion
but my ship, she split
when the big winds hit
and left my body somewhere in that great ocean
my mother she sighed when that great ship i spied
my bags all packed and beside me
with a hallelujah smile said i’ll be back in a while
i’m goin’ out across that great sea
"Cold Hallelujah"
You cast the stone
and you drew the line
these regrets are yours
but this vengeance is mine
I stand alone here
‘neath this hanging tree
and as I watch it burn
the wind blows the ashes over me
It’s a long cold hallelujah
that’s gonna find us gathered by the stone
it’s a long cold ride
that’s gonna leave you broken
when you find you’ve been riding alone
Some men kill for money
some for self respect
I love you my brother
better than I love myself
You killed to keep from knowing
what’s so clear to me tonight
that fear can draw such vicious lines
and pride doesn’t know wrong from right
It’s a long cold hallelujah
that’s gonna find us gathered by the stone
it’s a long cold ride
that’s gonna leave you broken
when you find you’ve been riding alone
In the heartbeat of this canyon
where men walk neither seen nor unseen
these decisions I’ve made are hard to forgive
least of all by me
Tonight I’ll drag my fingers through this earth
‘till it surrenders to me
and I’ll bury your bones in this dirt
and I’ll ride away clean
"Tracks"
There were times when the savior
knelt amongst the stones
praying for the comfort
and the ease of a home
a stranger in a world
he had built long before
I guess we all ride the tracks that we lay
You used to touch my skin
with your breath my dear
I’d lie inside of your wisdom
and tell you of my fears
I’d hobble to your temple
on crutches I had made
I guess we all ride the tracks that we lay
I drank your kisses deep
like redemption on my tongue
kneeling in your garden
my tears fell like blood
In the final act
you tore the ground from me
I guess we all have to hang upon our trees
"West Virginia Lung"
Black smoke rising from the West Virginia lung
lies like salvation dripping from your tongue
I tatooed your name and scratched it like an itch
and I'm slappin' that vein every time it comes to the fix
It's the dark before the sunset
it's the traffic light that won't change
it's the sound of your voice whispering in the rain
It's the Prophet on the barstool
it's the poet on the street
it's the way you close your eyes when you make love to me
I won't mind when the Second Coming comes
I'll be fishing for redemption from these songs I've sung
I'll be holding you so tight it's like we were in love
I'll be too drunk to notice my face buried in the rug
"One More Time Marie"
It's a cold September
when the rains begin to fall
I sleep on my doorstep with my feet out in the hall
There's a bus on the corner
waiting there for me
with its door held open
it just will not let me be
I aint as good as I used to be
I aint as strong now as you might need
Won't you let me in captain
and won't you take me down one more time Marie
This cardboard housing
goes up with just one spark
Cigarette lighting will not
see me through the dark
there's good blood in my veins
but it won't pay the bills
the enemy is charging
his way up the final hill
I aint as good as I used to be
I aint as strong now as you might need
Won't you let me in captain
and won't you take me down one more time Marie
I've gotta lay down some of these old things
I aint so young anymore
climb onto that highway
just stand up and thank the Lord
that bus can wait for tomorrow babe
I've got one more night of fun
Climb on up to my bedroom honey
tonight you are the one
"Troubled Wind"
Ankle deep in muddy water with a cigarette in your hand
you faith won't reconcile the sins at your command
your wife beside you and your little girl in the mud
the distance in your eyes won't be covered up by this blood
and all of those things you can't rise above
grow like weeds beside you in the mud
your faith carved through
with part regret and part fear
just like all of those things that keep you here
on this troubled wind
Her eyes dark and suspicious afraid of every thing that came her way
in a little summer skirt and a shirt she'd never change
She'd peddle prayers for a redemption she could not bring herself to trust
at night she kept her bed in ashes and rust
and all of those things you can't rise above
grow like weeds beside you in the mud
your faith carved through
with part regret and part fear
just like all of those things that keep you here
on this troubled wind
And you little darling, if I could, I'd carry you away
I'd walk right into your past and over you I'd pray
But time is our master it ain't the other way around
These trembling hands won't resurrect things left in the ground
“Stolen Crown”
In a car out here on the road into Memphis
on a saturday evening in the fall
Down town the neon burns
as bright as hell fire
at the gate stood a man with a stolen crown
I and I
and I and I again
I’m going down to those holy waters
where I won’t ever be fooled again
Elvis don’t sing any more in Memphis
but his money still flows
right through this town
the folks ‘round here
they don’t even want to hear him
they’re listening to the man with the stolen crown
I and I
and I and I again
I’m going down to those holy waters
where I won’t ever be fooled again
Elvis said that God
turns his back at sunset
and leaves us all up to ourselves
I was listening to Hank Williams in the back seat
as my car drove past the man with the stolen crown
“Unbroken”
Baby here I am
on the line with you again
outside the Atlanta city sign
Breaking bread with a broken hand
at the table of a broken man
and I just needed to hear your voice tonight
Sometimes the road gets away from me
and you say everything will be fine
the sins of this world
ain’t what they used to be
and there’s a promise left unbroken tonight
The air is cold and stale
the smell of cigarettes cut the air
this ain’t the dream we sold ourselves to
the hanging rope’s cut & the windows are locked
there’s still time to unfold the knot
and baby with your help I could break out of this room
I’m not a young man but I’m young enough to understand
Some things are better left unspoken
I’ve got a half a pack on the dash
and the keys to the road
and memories of a promise left unbroken
Sometimes the road gets away from me
and you say everything will be fine
The sins of this world ain’t what they used to be
and there’s a promise left unbroken tonight
there’s a promise left unbroken tonight
“Laid To Rest”
They took me out of the water when I was 31
Redeemed, redeemed
A man new in spirit with the Son & the Father
Redeemed, redeemed
Mama put me in my bed I’ve got a fever I can’t fight it
There’s a storm blowing up on the valley ahead
I tried to shoulder off my burdens with
whiskey and the bible
This dirt that will bury me
may it be laid to rest
Mama how have I been keeping my thoughts lately
in the violence of this coming wind
She danced in the palace
for the martyr’s head she whispered
but that night just left us all stinking of gin
Mama put me in my bed I’ve got a fever getting stronger
Daddy said a man like me ain’t no real man
Don’t you read me no more scriptures I just want to be forgotten
Let me lie down here for awhile and I’ll be on my way again
Mama take me to my bed this old fever’s getting hotter
ain’t no man knows the hour or the day
tell me true and tell me quickly
if you think that I’m worth saving
or don’t say nothing at all and we’ll let this night slip on away
Mama put me in my bed I’ve got a fever i can’t hide it
there’s a storm blowing up on the valley ahead
I tried to shoulder off my burdens with
the whiskey and the Bible
This dirt that would bury me
May it be laid to rest