Uncle Tupelo

There's a guitar leaning on a Marshall stack
Used to sound like the sun on the horizon
Now I think we've been had
There's a young girl screaming all the way in the back
Poor kid, she never saw it coming
Now she knows she's been had
Watching the label spin

my Lord told his disciples
after I'm risen and gone
you'll meet with troubles and trialsbear your rebukes and scorns

my warfare will soon be ended
my race is almost run
my warfare will soon be ended
and I'm coming home

you can rebuke me all you want to
I'm travelling home to God
I'm well acquainted with the crossesand all my ways are hard

they say my lord is the devil
they call his saints the same
I don't expect much more down herethan grief and scorn and shame

God bless them holiness people
the Presbyterians too
those good old shouting Methodists
those praying Baptists too

tnd when you get to heaven
I wanna see you there
tnd when I say amen
I want you to say so too

my warfare will soon be ended
my race is almost run
my warfare will soon be ended
and I'm coming home
I'm coming home

my Lord told his disciples
after I'm risen and gone
you'll meet with troubles and trialsbear your rebukes and scorns

my warfare will soon be ended
my race is almost run
my warfare will soon be ended
and I'm coming home

you can rebuke me all you want to
I'm travelling home to God
I'm well acquainted with the crossesand all my ways are hard

they say my lord is the devil
they call his saints the same
I don't expect much more down herethan grief and scorn and shame

God bless them holiness people
the Presbyterians too
those good old shouting Methodists
those praying Baptists too

tnd when you get to heaven
I wanna see you there
tnd when I say amen
I want you to say so too

my warfare will soon be ended
my race is almost run
my warfare will soon be ended
and I'm coming home
I'm coming home

are you surprised it's me
hope I didn't wake anybody
honey, please wait up for me
I miss you more than I need sleep
guess I'll let you go
even though I don't want to
honey, please wait up for me
I need you and I can't keep up this speed

I can only sing it loud
always try to sing it clear
what the hell are we all doing here
making too much of nothing
or creating one unholy mess
an unfair study in survival, I guess
but it always comes down to
what to do when it's all around you
and this t

I've been searching and you've been gone
Out looking for the shortest path to the one that you're on
And I've already seen all I wanna see
Come on, let's take the long cut
I think that's what we need
When we were younger, we were strong
We felt a lot better than the things that we'd done
Now if it's to be, if you still believe
Come on let's take the long cut
I think that's what we need
If you wanna take the long cut
We'll get there eventually
I've been searching and you've been gone
Out looking for the shortest path to the one you're on
Now if it's to be, if you still believe
Come on let's take the long cut
I think that's what we need
We've been in a deep rut
And it's been killing me
If you wanna take the long cut
We'll get there eventually

Sidetracked down the middle
Never saw it coming, what a surprise
It's been a wonder
Electricity tells a story
It's a sound getting near as fear is watching you
It's watching you close
You can fight it, both arms swinging
Or try to wash it away
Or pay up to the echoes of 'okay'
No more, no more will I see you
No more will I see you
No more will I see you
You've schemed more than you have
You've borrowed more than you know
Better to steal the crumbs
It makes it easier to go
Paralyzed by conscience
Looking for an opening
Apathy as your vocal cords cut out
Never thought once to ask how's the temperature
Too busy with the finer points
Of each struggle we're after
No more, no more will I see you
No more will I see you
No more will I see you
So long since I've seen you
Haven't we both been living the high life
It flows to the bottom
No more, no more will I see you
No more will I see you
No more will I see you

It's a long way to heaven
It's a short way to hell
Painkillers won't help
When the weight's not yourself
They're poisoning the air
For personal wealth
It's a long way to heaven
It's a short way to hell
I don't know what I'm breathing for
'Cause the air ar

Down here, where's we're at
The weather changes, that's the way it goes
Sometimes it snows, when everything's wrong
Sometimes it snows, but when it does, it doesn't last long

Down here, where we're at
All we do is sit out on the porch
And play our songs, and nothing's wrong
Sometime friends come around, they all sing along

Down here, where we're at
Everyone is equally poor
Down here, we don't care
We don't care what happens outside the screen door

Down here, where we're at
Sweat drips from the tip of your nose
You wear loose clothes, and you try to stay cool
We all still have a lot of fun, never saw much school

Down here, where we're at
Everyone is equally poor
Down here, we don't care
We don't care what happens outside the screen door

Satan, your kingdom must come down
Satan, your kingdom must come down
I heard the voice of Jesus say
Satan, your kingdom must come down

gonna pray until they tear your kingdom downgonna pray until they tear your kingdom downI heard the voice of Jesus say
Satan, your kingdom must come down

gonna shout until they tear your kingdom downgonna shout until they tear your kingdom downI heard the voice of Jesus say
Satan, your kingdom must come down

lost sight of ground
never been so down
nothing here to stand on

it's a war-weary road
another faceless tombstone
nothing here to stand on

I turn to face the wind
may never get out
forever caught in a spin
no better place to begin

can't find the phone, can't hear to listencan't take along what we're missing
just as well to write this postcard from helland the bar clock says three a.m.
fallout shelter sign above the door
in other words, don't come here anymore

too many miles between
I heard a dead man scream
nothing here to stand on

each and every step
reeling out more or less
nothing here to stand on

I turn to face the wind
may never get out
forever caught in a spin
no better place to begin

I turn to face the wind
may never get out
forever caught in a spin
no better place to begin

tried to stay, tried to run
there's never been enough reason
to believe in anyone
this trickle-down theoryhas left all these pockets emptyand the bar clock says three a.m.
fallout shelter sign above the door
in other words, don't come here anymore

been traveling around some
crossing people's paths
some they stand right in your way
others like to watch you pass
been trying to memorize
all the different lies
that people must tell themselves each nightto justify their lives

don't call it nothing
this might be all we'll ever have

held myself for ransom
wandered so blind
I found the roads less traveled
to take you off my mind
and I told myself I know
everything I do
I'm just looking for something
to lead me away from you

don't call it nothing
this might be all you'll ever have

I know it's not enough
to make it sound like more
so I swear if there's a God
to make him sleep on the floor

been traveling around some
crossing people's paths
some they stand right in your way
others like to watch you pass

don't call it nothing
this might be all we'll ever have
I'll ever haveever have

I don't know what you've been through
You might think that I don't care
But I do
And I've tried to understand
I've tried to understand your abuse
But you've got no excuse
And there's no use in lovin'
Anyone who hates themself
You keep coming back
So I hold you for a little while
But I always go when I can't take your sad smile
'Cause I can't stand it when you get so intense
And it's all a part of our bad inheritance
And there's no sense in lovin'
Anyone
Won't you come back for a while
You could see exactly what you've always meant to me
But you don't wanna know
You don't wanna know
And you don't know what I've been through
And if I think that you don't care
You probably do
And there's no sense in lovin'
Anyone who hates themself

All my daydreams are disasters
She's the one I think I love
Rivers burn and then run backwards
For her, that's enough
They all come from New York City
And they woke me up at dawn
She walked with me to the fountain
And she held onto my arm
Come on, do what you did
Roll me under New Madrid
Shake my baby and please bring her back
'Cause death won't even be still
Caroms over the landfill
Buries us all in its broken back
There's a man of conviction
And although he's getting old
Mr. Browning has a prediction
And we've all been told
So come on back from New York City
Roll your trucks in at dawn
Walk with me to the fountain
And hold onto my arm
Come on, do what you did
Roll me under New Madrid
Shake my baby and please bring her back
'Cause death won't even be still
Caroms over the landfill
Buries us all in its broken back

Fear the hearts of men are failing These our latter days we know The great depression now is spreading God's word declared it would be so I'm going where there's no depression To a better land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble My home's in heaven I'm going there In this dark hour, midnight nearing The tribulation time will come The storms will hurl the midnight fear And sweep lost millions to their doom I'm going where there's no depression To a better land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble My home's in heaven I'm going there I'm going where there's no depression To a better land that's free from care I'll leave this world of toil and trouble My home's in heaven I'm going there

when you find you can't somehow
make it like all the rest
you won't need to scrounge aroundfor someone else
torn between the unknown
and the place that you call home
and the life you want but have never known
there was a time
you could put it out of your

when you find you can't somehow
make it like all the rest
you won't need to scrounge aroundfor someone else
torn between the unknown
and the place that you call home
and the life you want but have never known
there was a time
you could put it out of your mind
leave it all behind
there was a time
that time is gone
what has a life of fifty years
in this town done for you
except to earn your nameand place on a barstool
you spent your whole life in this county
you've never been out of state
you say you're gonna make it outbefore it's too late
there was a time
you could put it out of your mind
leave it all behind
there was a time
that time is gone
there was a time when nothing seemedto make much sensethat's turned more intense
and all the crutches you've kept around
now are nowhere to be found
remember when you didn't have
to look ahead or behind you
there was always something right there to do
but now it's life in some kind of traplooking for a way out
well, you keep moving onthat's what it's all about
there was a time
you could put it out of your mind
leave it all behind
there was a time
that time is gone

a great crowd has now gathered
all around the jail today
to see me executed
and hear what I do say

now I must hang this morning
for the murder of Lilli Schull
whom I so cruelly murdered
and her body shamefully burned

the fire where I burned her
is again now within my sight
her lovely face recovering
and the fire that burned so bright

the cries of poor Lilli
again I can almost hear
as she begged me not to kill her
her life alone to spare

now I bow down to Jesus
in penitential grief
and I beg him now to save me
like he did the dying thief

God bless my aged parents
who mourn for me alone
and my wife and baby
who will be left alone

it was then that I heard a whisper
in a most gentle tone
my grave is one sufficient
to save the vilest one

a great crowd has now gathered
all around the jail today
to see me executed
and hear what I do say

now I must hang this morning
for the murder of Lilli Schull
whom I so cruelly murdered
and her body shamefully burned

the fire where I burned her
is again now within my sight
her lovely face recovering
and the fire that burned so bright

the cries of poor Lilli
again I can almost hear
as she begged me not to kill her
her life alone to spare

now I bow down to Jesus
in penitential grief
and I beg him now to save me
like he did the dying thief

God bless my aged parents
who mourn for me alone
and my wife and baby
who will be left alone

it was then that I heard a whisper
in a most gentle tone
my grave is one sufficient
to save the vilest one

John Hardy, he was a desperate little man
Carried two guns every day
Shot a man down by the West Virginia line
They saw John Hardy get away
They saw John Hardy get away
They cornered John Hardy on the Tombstone bridge
He thought that he was free
'Til the deputy sheriff came and grabbed him by the arm
Said

John Hardy, he was a desperate little man Carried two guns every day Shot a man down by the West Virginia line They saw John Hardy get away They saw John Hardy get away They cornered John Hardy on the Tombstone bridge He thought that he was free 'Til the deputy sheriff came and grabbed him by the arm Said "Johnny, come along with me" "Johnny, come along with me" John Hardy, he stood inside his cell Tears running down his eyes Said "I've seen the death of many a poor boy Now I'm ready to die Now I'm ready to die" Well, I've been to the east and I've been to the west I've been the whole world round I've been to the north and I've been to the south Now I'm going to my hanging ground I'm going to my hanging ground

I wish, I wish my baby was bornsitting on his papa's knee
and you, poor girl, were dead and gonegreen grass growing over thee

I'm not no saint, nor I never shall be
'til the sweet apple grows
from the sour apple tree
I still hope the day will come
when you and I will walk as one

I wish, I wish my baby was bornsitting on his papa's knee
and you, poor girl, were dead and gonegreen grass growing over thee

I'm not no saint, nor I never shall be
'til the sweet apple grows
from the sour apple tree
I still hope the day will come
when you and I will walk as one

Try to face up to the blinding sun
Racing for the final word to come
Facing up, it's hard to stay devout
I can see the sand and it's running out
And it's running out
We quote each other only when we're wrong
We tear out the threads and move along
We can't seem to find common ground
I can see the sand and it's running out
It was only circumstances
But it's the difference
It gets in the way
No race is run in this direction
You can't break even
You can't even quit the game
The current drags to the bottom
A hemorrhage that moves us around
It pulls and beckons in a strong direction
High water forever bringing us down
I can see the sand and it's running out
It's running out
It was only circumstances
But it's the difference
It gets in the way
No race is run in this direction
You can't break even
You can't even quit the game

if you find yourself standing
at the end of your line
looking for a piece of something
maybe a piece of mind
fed up, lost, and run down
nowhere to hold on
tired of, take your place at the end son
we'll get to you one by one

no light ever shines
dead end tears that dry
maybe a waste of words and time
never a waste of life
every hour will be spent
filling a quota, just getting alonghandcuffs hurt worse
when you've done nothing wrong

no thanks to the treadmill
no thanks to the grindstone
there's plenty of dissent from
these rungs below
the clockwork of destruction
hanging low over our heads
always a smokestack cloud
or a slow-walking death

no light ever shines
dead-end tears that dry
maybe a waste of words and time
never a waste of life

no thanks to the treadmill
no thanks to the grindstone
there's plenty of dissent from
these rungs below
the clockwork of destruction
hanging low over our heads
always a smokestack cloud
or a slow-walking death

no light ever shines
dead-end tears that dry
maybe a waste of words and time
never a waste of life
maybe a waste of words and time
never a waste of life

take my picture off the wall
it don't matter to me at all
said I was headed for a fall
but you wanted me to crawl
give back my TV
it don't mean that much to me
while you're giving back my things
give me back the key to my heart
give back the key to my heart
give back the key to my heart
and let my love flow like a river
straight into your heart, dear
well, you say I was the one
to blame for the wrong that's been done
well, you got a friend named cocaine
and to me he is to blame
he has drained life from your face
he has taken my place
while you're alone in San Antone
give me back the key to my heart
give back the key to my heart
give back the key to my heart
and let my love flow like a river
straight into your heart, dear