To Beat The Devil · letra

Intro

And I'd like to dedicate this to John and June, who helped show me how to beat the devil

Verse 1

It was winter time in Nashville, down on music row And I was looking for a place to get myself out of the cold To warm the frozen feeling that was eating at my soul And keep the chilly wind off me and my guitar

Verse 2

Well, my thirsty wanted whisky; and my hungry needed beans But it'd been of month of paydays since I'd heard that eagle scream So with a stomach full of empty and a pocket full of dreams I left my pride and stepped inside a bar

Verse 3

Actually, I guess you'd could call it a Tavern Cigarette smoke to the ceiling, sawdust on the floor Friendly shadows

Verse 4

Well, I saw that there was just one old man, that was sitting at the bar And in the mirror I could see him checking me and my guitar An' he turned and said: "Come up here boy, and show us what you are I said: "I'm dry." He bought me a beer

Verse 5

Then he nodded at my guitar and said: "It's a tough life, ain't it?" I just looked at him and he said: "You ain't making any money, are you?" I said: "You've been reading my mail" He just smiled and said: "Let me see that guitar I've got something you oughta hear" Then he laid it on me

Verse 6

If you waste your time a-talking to the people who don't listen To the things that you are saying, who do you think's going to hear And if you should die explaining how the things that they complain about Are things they could be changing who do you think's going to care?

Verse 7

There were other lonely singers in a world turned deaf and blind Who were crucified for what they tried to show And their voices have been scattered by the swirling winds of time All the truth remains that no-one wants to know

Verse 8

Well, the old man was a stranger, but I'd heard his song before Back when failure had me locked out on the wrong side of the door When no-one stood behind me but my shadow on the floor And lonesome was more than a state of mind

Verse 9

You see, the devil haunts a hungry man If you don't wanna join him, well you gotta beat him I ain't saying I beat the devil, but I drank his beer for nothing And then I stole his song

Verse 10

And you still can hear me singing to the people who don't listen To the things that I am saying, praying someone's going to hear And I guess I'll die explaining how the things that they complain about Are things they could be changing, hoping someone's going to care

Outro

I was born a lonely singer, and I'm bound to die the same But I've got to feed the hunger in my soul And if I never have a nickle, I won't ever die ashamed Cause I don't believe that no-one wants to know