Gravel, rocks, nails, and glass Mark the lines upon the path Sun beats down and burns all that it sees All I was and ever did The stain that I’ll never be rid Burned into my flesh my own disease I walk these empty streets The broken dreams cut up my feet Burning, blood-red, asphalt, sand and shame I face the day As the night creeps up behind me My sins have worn my soles away Burning wasteland far and wide Where I left all the dead to hide Crucified upon my ax and gun Faces staring from the past Answerin’ what I should’ve asked My time is borrowed, used, and done I walk these empty streets The broken dreams cut up my feet Burning, blood-red, asphalt, sand and shame I face the day As the night creeps up behind me My sins have worn my soles away I walk these empty streets The broken dreams cut up my feet Burning, blood-red, asphalt, sand and shame I face the day As the night creeps up behind me My sins have worn my soles away

The lines rush past, the sun sinks over the hills A million lights shine in the distance As I drive down the road There’s no end in sight At least I hope A thousand miles and I’ll be back home A thousand more miles driven Driven up the road My eyes are dry my hands are numb The next rest stop is not till San Francisco No other cars in sight No gas, no grub, no place to sleep Stuck on the 101 and all I see Is shadows in the distance I see the city home is not far away The twinkling lights leading me Down off the road I see my street I see my gate It’s time to clear my head I see my street I see my gate Fuck it Just keep drivin'

Workin’ on this railway From dawn ‘til half past now Been here a week since Sunday I really don’t know how The pay can’t even feed me Or put clothes on my back Still the master cracks the whip And pulls back on the slack I thought I earned it but it slipped out of my hand The sun is beating down and burning my feet on the sand How did I get in this? These assholes just won’t pay I think I fell into this ditch I dug today Met the Devil down in Georgia Signed the dotted line Guess I must have missed That funny printin’ in the fine Hoped to make a mint On all the fortune for the take Seems my hard work all amounts To drownin’ in the lake Worked on a train last week and lost my fucking leg The sounds of the steel mill have filled my heart with dread I thought things would get better till lost my eye There’s nothing better than the pain of wasting your time That train keeps rollin’ on by The workers banging in time A rhythm poundin’ inside my head The chain links bind up my fists The shackles cut up my wrists My legs sink in to the desert sand The sun is high in the sky The shadows all run and hide I melt into the ground

The sun sets at the edge of the street Silhouetting the man I’m to meet He pulls his gun and I pull mine The bullets fly one final time I shot a man last Tuesday, another twelve in June I’m gonna see the end of a rope very soon I never saw his children, I never knew his name Still I put a bullet though his heart just the same Oh…the cold blood runs away Oh…the sinner has his day I feel the heat upon my back the cold steel in my hand Face to face with death his body cold in the sand Oh…I strut the rusty plain Oh…The whiskey fills my veins The gallows in the distance call my name and I reply Today’s the perfect day for them to hang me from the sky Women, children, honest men have all died by my hand Now’s the time for my blood to color the sand I’m gonna go in now and get myself a shave I wanna look good on the day I am saved

Sand beneath my feet Hot dry wind from out the west Strollin’ into town a shiny star on my chest Townfolk cowerin’ in fear Killer gunman at the rope Sun shinin’ brightly on my pockets filled with gold My spurs and my boots dig deep holes in the sand I’m in place to rescue this town The sign to my right says “2 miles to The End” I know where I’ll go when I’m done Step up to the bar Order up a pint The whiskey’s free unless you want a cell for the night Ladies workin’ up the stairs Work for me for free Sugar’s lookin’ good but Honey’s comin’ home with me They pay me to keep the law on their side They’re late and the price just went up There is no escape and there’s nowhere to hide I’ll take out my payment in blood Townfolk in the street It’s time to retire Folks around here want to throw me into the fire Sun high in the sky My time is almost here Out on the horizon Devil’s wagon drawing near The end of my rope is calling to me They all want me up by my neck The end of the road that I’ll never see Is painted and paved in blood… … and gold

Rolled into town sun high in the sky I set up shop just waitin’ for them to buy “Step right up! Step right up!” I showed off all my wares “Bring all yer money, come on in” The crowd went crazy right away Pushing and shoving down the road The crowd went crazy throwing dollars everywhere Of the sheriff’s blood-stained gold Try this elixir it goes right to your head Gave it to a man last week A and now his wife is dead This bottle here will ease up all your pain Just ask your friend right there ‘fore he bursts into flame Cattle got nothing on this mob Stampeding through town to and fro Crashing down behind their clumsy hooven feet Swallowing the small town whole Watching as the town eats itself in a day There’s no rope to hang me as I drive away On to the next town on the map I’m heading westbound nice and slow Corruption leading me in front and in the back Carving out the road

Rollin’ a boulder up a hill Ponderin' all I did I spied on kings and consorts I tied up the reaper and hid Came to Hell as a pauper Couldn’t pay my way Up at the top of the hill The boulder rolls away down to the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman… Standin’ in the shade of a giant tree Fruit heavy branches sway Reach up for a juicy piece And the branches pull away Sunk up in the water Risin’ to my neck I bend down to quench my thirst And the water all rolls back down to the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman… Went down for my lady Brought her back up the road I looked back and she turned away As my lover's heart froze cold Sat down with my guitar Played sad songs as I cried The women came in and tore me to shreds And I went up to see God to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman… Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman to take me down the river Take me down the river Leave me a quarter for the ferryman…