Here in this town, there's a cloud overhead,
Its shadows are gardens,
It rains in our beds,
A paralyzed loneliness lies here along with the dead,
And the living, like me,
Fear remains with me and guilt never leaves,
At night, through my window, all I ever see,
Is a view of that bridge that leads somewhere where I'll never be,
Though I long to go.
From under that bridge, I hear melodies roar!
Light flickers my windows!
Drums rattle my doors!
The preacher told me, "They're all sinners and whores,
Their laughter is tormenting me!"
Well, one night out of weakness,
And a thirst in my throat,
I ran to that bridge,
I swore I'd never go!
At the end of that tunnel, I saw a fiery light!
I walked in hanging my head and cried,
Came out struttin' on the other side!
Well now I feel so,
Like I got somewhere to go!
I'm gonna strut right through, gonna tear that town,
And show them all that there's a new man around!
Got a spring in my step,
Fire in my bones!
Road turns a way I never knew before,
Tell the preacher "Amen!" let him pay the bill,
Leave the Devil outside til he makes a deal!
No, I never believed that anything could have changed!
And the walls that surround me,
They would always remain!
Come tomorrow mornin',
I might just feel the same,
Then I'll walk back down to that old bridge,
And I'll come right back out struttin' again!
Oh momma, now, don't you cry,
I gotta play for the winning side,
Cause I just lost so many days,
I gotta roll that dice, gotta play the game,
Now more clearly I can see,
I ain't got no need to leave!
Cause I laugh with the sinners that I used to hear,
And I waltz with the demons that I used to fear!