Out on Lone Elm road, at the end of my rope,
When the trigger man was coming on through.
He said, "I'll give you a hand if you think you can stand to pay me when the course is through.
If you're the type who believes in much more than he sees, well then, fella, I'm the man for you.
But at the end of the line I will get what is mine, yeah,
'Cause Papa don't suffer no fools."
You know what they say, every dog has his day,
I believed mine might be coming too
Though one look in his eyes and I knew well that I might be damned if I don't or I do
They say that in life every man has his price and the devil must get his due
He said, "You look like a gambler, so don't play it dumb, man,
'Cause Papa don't suffer no fools."
A falcon screams on Lone Elm Road,
Tears placid thoughts from mind.
Spreading wings so taughtly straight,
He dove - a sweeping cry.
A grackle in the dead of night,
A raven in the moon.
Their words are spoken in the dark;
They tell me death comes soon.
He gave me a light and tho try as I might, I didn't once see the whites of his eyes.
He said, "Men give and men take, but I play games with fate, boy, you think you might give it a try?"
He promised me riches, no more diggin' ditches by the side of that Lone Elm Road.
And all that he asked
Was when my life was past
That I pay him much more than I owed.
Well, the summers came fine, he hadn't once crossed my mind
Since that night so many years before
'Til there came a concussion of anger come rushin' to beat down against the front door.
The trigger man said, with his gun to my head,
"Boy, your time's come and I'm come for you."
So out back I was digging my grave, he was singing
'Bout Papa don't suffer no fools.
A falcon screams on Lone Elm Road
For your end and for mine.
We're naught but prey within the grass
His claws will shear in time.
A grackle in the dead of night,
A raven in the moon.
The trigger man carved up a stone just for me,
Said, "The Devil must get his due."
The devil must get his due.
The devil must get his due.
And Papa don't suffer no fools.