Old Time Suffering

I’m chopping wood for winter
Chopping wood
Chopping wood for winter
Chopping wood

Oh the axe is sharpened
And the day is long
Deep within the forest
At the break of dawn
Trying to keep the wolves at bay

Chopping wood for winter
Chopping wood
Chopping wood for winter
Chopping wood

Northern wind blows fiercely
And I feel its chill
Of these scavengers Lord
I have had my fill
Trying to keep the wolves at bay

Chopping wood for winter
Chopping wood
Chopping wood for winter
Chopping wood

My buddies decided that we’d rob a bank
To get up our courage we drank and we drank
Buckets of whiskey bottles of wine
‘Til we were wild and out of our minds

We went to my brother’s to borrow a gun
He spat in my face and away we did run
Off to my uncle’s to get us some bread
Somehow or other he ended up dead

Oh they always say that crime doesn’t pay
But it does if you can just get away

Old Doctor Samson gave us his car
After we splattered his brains on the wall
I started driving I drove off the road
Into the stream where the water was cold

Snaggle Tooth Willie fell out and he drowned
We planted him deep deep deep in the ground
We found us a bar where the music was sad
Such gory fun boys it never was had

Oh they always say that crime doesn’t pay
But it does if you can just get away

Finally at midnight we got to the bank
Haggard hung over and Lord how we stank
We busted the glass then we walked through the door
Beat on the guard ’til he fell on the floor

“Give us some money!” yelled Crooked Eye Bill
“Don’t say you won’t ’cause I know that you will.”
Got some explosives and blew up the safe
Took us a million then burned down that place

Oh they always say that crime doesn’t pay
But it does if you can just get away

Yes they always say that crime doesn’t pay
But it does if you can just get away

Lord he thought he’d make a man
These bones are gonna rise again
Made ’em out of bone and a little bit of sand
These bones are gonna rise again

Adam was the first one that he made
These bones are gonna rise again
He put him on the bank and he lay him in the shade
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

Thought he’d make a woman too
These bones are gonna rise again
Did not know exactly what to do
These bones are gonna rise again

So he took a rib from Adam’s side
These bones are gonna rise again
Made Miss Eve for to be his bride
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

Put ’em in a garden rich and fair
These bones are gonna rise again
Told ’em they might eat whatever was there
These bones are gonna rise again

But to one tree they must not go
These bones are gonna rise again
Must leave the apples there to grow
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

Old Miss Eve came walking around
These bones are gonna rise again
Spied a tree all loaded down
These bones are gonna rise again

Serpent coiled around the trunk
These bones are gonna rise again
At Miss Eve his eye he wunk
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

First she took a little pull
These bones are gonna rise again
Then she filled her apron full
These bones are gonna rise again

Then she took Adam a slice
These bones are gonna rise again
He smacked his lips and said it was nice
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

The Lord he came a wandering around
These bones are gonna rise again
He spied them apple peelings on the ground
These bones are gonna rise again

The Lord he spoke with a powerful voice
These bones are gonna rise again
Shook this ol’ world to the very joists
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

ADAM ADAM WHERE ART THOU?
These bones are gonna rise again
Here Master Lord I’m coming now
These bones are gonna rise again

STOLE MY APPLES I BELIEVE
These bones are gonna rise again
No Master Lord but I ’spect it was Eve
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

The Lord he rose up in his wrath
These bones are gonna rise again
Told ’em YOU BEAT IT DOWN THIS PATH
These bones are gonna rise again

OUT OF THIS GARDEN YOU MUST GET
These bones are gonna rise again
EARN YOUR LIVING BY YOUR SWEAT
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

He put an angel at the door
These bones are gonna rise again
Told ’em not to never come back there no more
These bones are gonna rise again

Of this tale there ain’t no more
These bones are gonna rise again
Eve ate the apples and gave Adam the core
These bones are gonna rise again

I knew it ’deed I knew it
These bones are gonna rise again

Tobacco’s but an Indian weed
Grows green at dawn cut down at eve
It shows our decay we are but clay
Think of this when you smoke tobacco

The pipe that is so lily white
Wherein so many take delight
Gone with a touch man’s life is such
Think of this when you smoke tobacco

The pipe that is so foul within
Shows how the soul is stained with sin
It doth require the purging fire
Think of this when you smoke tobacco

The ashes that are left behind
Do serve to put us all in mind
That unto dust return we must
Think of this when you smoke tobacco

The smoke that doth so high ascend
Shows that our life must have an end
The vapor’s gone man’s life is done
Think of this when you smoke tobacco

I once was a tool of oppression
Just as green as a sucker could be
The monopolies banded together
To beat a poor hayseed like me
To beat a poor hayseed like me
To beat a poor hayseed like me
The monopolies banded together
To beat a poor hayseed like me

The railroads and old party bosses
Together did sweetly agree
And they thought that there’d be little trouble
In working a hayseed like me
In working a hayseed like me
In working a hayseed like me
They thought that there’d be little trouble
In working a hayseed like me

But now I’ve been roused up a little
And their greed and corruption I see
If the hayseeds can all stick together
We’ll conquer their Satanic Greed
We’ll conquer their Satanic Greed
We’ll conquer their Satanic Greed
If the hayseeds can all stick together
We’ll conquer their Satanic Greed

Varicose veins
Tying knots in my legs
Got a bullet in my shoulder
Gambler shot me down at Meg’s

Found a six headed snake
Speaking tongues by the fence
At first I was confused
Then it started making sense

Caught the yellow fever
Back when I was twenty three
It murdered my sweetheart
But it did not murder me

For many years I wandered
Through the deserts and the snow
No one to care
And no one to know

Oh dear Lord
Dear Lord
Grief hits so hard
So hard

Yellow belly drifter
Rides upon a rabid dog
Seen his eyes a glowing
Through the mystifying fog

Pulled my ivory handled knife
And I stabbed him in the face
Brains and blood dripping
All over the place

They’re laying down the rails
For a continental train
Soon this wild country
Will be civilized and tamed

Oh once I could find comfort
In the bottom of the glass
Now I can’t find nothing
But your disapproving glance

Oh dear Lord
Dear Lord
Grief hits so hard
So hard

Don’t you dare to fence me in
Wipe your face from off that grin

There’s a widow in El Paso
Though she’s only got one arm
She’ll hold you to her bosom
And bewitch you with her charm

Seen a woman who was sleeping
Send her spirit into town
She hoisted up her skirt
Then she brought the boys around

I ain’t really sure of this
Or anything at all
Can’t even trust your
Own delusions anymore

Stole some diamond rings
And some earrings made of gold
The meaningless pursuit of wealth
Will turn your spirit cold

Oh dear Lord
Dear Lord
Grief hits so hard
So hard

Don’t you dare to fence me in
Wipe your face from off that grin

Young men they say are bold and free
Beware oh take care
They say they’re true, but they’re liars you see
Beware oh take care

Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Trust them not they’re fooling you
Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Beware oh take care

Around their neck they wear a guard
Beware oh take care
And in their pocket is a deck of cards
Beware oh take care

Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Trust them not they’re fooling you
Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Beware oh take care

They smoke they chew they wear fine shoes
Beware oh take care
And in their other pocket is a bottle of booze
Beware oh take care

Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Trust them not they’re fooling you
Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Beware oh take care

They hold their hands up to their heart
They sigh oh they sigh
They say they love no one but you
They lie oh they lie

Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Trust them not they’re fooling you
Beware young ladies they’re fooling you
Beware oh take care
Beware oh take care

Gave her a locket
With my grinning picture inside
Her eyes they seemed
To be looking for some place to hide

The moon was a bright burning ball
And I felt so low
I told her all the things
I never had told

Then we stood around for an hour
The wind in our hair
She said “Wherever you take me
Don’t take me there.”

She pointed at a big black building
She saw in a cloud
Distant thunder rumbled
Deep and loud

But all of those days have dried up
And blown away like leaves in the wind
Oh Henrietta
I don’t think I should see you again

We tried so hard to somehow
Recapture the past
But deep down we both knew the cold truth
You can’t

Down by the bridge
Near the lake where the roots intertwine
Our hands in the mud
I swear we touched the divine

It’s not where I wanted to go
But it was a start
Seemed there were always
Excuses to keep us apart

And then I just turned my back
And it all disappeared
The blood and the gore and the grey
Grew thick in my beard

But all of those days have dried up
And blown away like leaves in the wind
Oh Henrietta
I don’t think I should see you again

Sometimes you go into places
You should never go
How it all led up to this
I surely don’t know

What we promised would not be
Had somehow become
Thought I could keep you forever
Beneath my thumb

For almost a year we pretended
That we were free
We hung like the moss on a limb
Of a sycamore tree

So long I’m leaving to explore
The ruins in my head
Nothing ever mattered to us
Until it was dead

But all of those days have dried up
And blown away like leaves in the wind
Oh Henrietta
I don’t think I should see you again

Yes all of those days have dried up
And blown away like leaves in the wind
Oh Henrietta
I don’t think I should see you again

Is she the one mother warned me about?
With promises vast as the ocean
Her antique tongue poisoned my heart
With words of eternal devotion

Oh oh oh oh oh mysterious stranger
Oh oh oh oh oh la da da da la da da da

Is she the one mother warned me about?
With hands soft and cold as the grave dirt
At a masquerade ball in a house by the sea
She held me so tight ’til it started to hurt

Oh oh oh oh oh mysterious stranger
Oh oh oh oh oh la da da da la da da da

Where did she come from and where has she been?
Beware the serpent in the skin of woman

Is she the one mother warned me about?
Her eyes seem to burn me like hot coals
Her figure so trim her features so fair
A creature of sadness and shadows

Oh oh oh oh oh mysterious stranger
Oh oh oh oh oh la da da da la da da da

Is she the one mother warned me about?
With riches enough for a kingdom
Mother please help me for I cannot tell
Is she my true love or a demon from hell?

Oh oh oh oh oh mysterious stranger
Oh oh oh oh oh la da da da la da da da

Where did she come from and where has she been?
Beware the serpent in the skin of woman

Oh oh oh oh oh mysterious stranger
Oh oh oh oh oh la da da da

Young people who delight in sin
I’ll tell you what has lately been
A woman who was young and fair
Died in sin and deep despair

She went to parties everyday
In spite of all her friends could say
“I’ll turn to God when I get old
And He will then receive my soul.”

On Friday morning she took sick
Her stubborn heart began to break
She called her mother to her bed
Her eyes were rolling in her head

“Oh Mother, Mother fare you well
Your wicked Polly’s doomed to hell
The tears are lost you shed for me
My soul is lost I plainly see.”

“My earthly Father fare you well
Your wicked Polly’s doomed to hell
The flaming wrath begins to roll
I am a lost and ruined soul.”

“Your councils I have ignored all
My carnal appetites to fill
When I am dead remember well
Your wicked Polly groans in hell.”

She gnawed her tongue before she died
She rolled she groaned she screamed she cried
“Oh must I burn forevermore
’Til a thousand years are o’er?”

It almost broke her Mother’s heart
To see her child to hell depart
“Oh is my daughter gone to hell
My grief’s so great no tongue can tell.”

She wrung her hands and groaned and cried
And gnawed her tongue before she died
Her nails turned black her voice did fail
She died and left this lower veil

Young people let this be your case
Oh turn to God and trust His grace
Down on your knees for mercy cry
Lest you in sin like Polly die

Come a all you good time people
Well I still have money to spend
Tomorrow might be Monday
And I neither have a dollar or a friend

When I had plenty of money
My friends were all standing around
But as soon as my pockets were empty
Not friend on this earth could be found

And it’s all around this jailhouse
Forty dollars will pay my fine
Corn liquor’s around in my body
Pretty women are troubling my mind

If I had’ve listened to my mama
I wouldn’t’ve been here today
A lying around this jailhouse
Just sleeping my life away

Give me cornbread when I’m hungry
Give me whiskey when I’m dry
Give me greenbacks when I’m hard up
Sweet heaven when I die

Did a hole dig a hole in the meadow
Dig a hole in the cold cold ground
Go and dig me a hole in the meadow
And just watch this poor rambler go down

So many nights I spent out on the range
Howling with coyotes and crippled with pain
Head in my hands as I lay in the dirt
This rot gut liquor sure makes my soul hurt

Sickly sweet scent of magnolia trees
I’d rather be anyone other than me
How did I get here what path did I take
It’s been a week since the last time I ate

But I cannot move the whole earth’s in a spin
Dignity lost to my weakness and sin
People don’t change so I won’t even try
I’d kill for some eggs and a bottle of rye

If there’s a hell it couldn’t be any worse
If there’s a hell it couldn’t be any worse
If there’s a hell it couldn’t be any worse
Than this