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"Prophet On The Barstool" lyrics
All songs written by: Michael C Smith
 
"90 & 9"


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