Children's Story

(Album: Nearly God - 1996)

Once upon a time not long ago
When people wore pajamas and lived life slow
When laws were stern and justice stood
And people were behaving like they ought to good
There lived a little boy who was misled
By another little boy and this is what he said
"Me and you tonight are gonna make some cash
Robbing old folks and making the dash"
They did the job, money came with ease
But one couldn't stop, it's like he had a disease
He robbed another and another, a sister and a brother
He tried to rob a man who was a D.T. undercover
The cop grabbed his arm, he started acting erratic
He said, "Keep still, boy, no need for static"
Punched him in his belly and he gave him a slap
But little did he know the little boy was strapped
The kid pulled out a gun, he said, "Why'd ya hit me?"
The barrel was headed straight for the cop's kidney
The cop got scared, the kid, he starts to figure
"I'll do years if I pull this trigger"
So he cold dashed and ran around the block
Cop radioes it to another lady cop
He ran by a tree, there he saw this sister
Shot for the head, shot back but he missed her
Looked 'round due to expectations
So he decided he'd head for the subway stations
But she was coming and he made a left
He was running top speed 'til he was outta breath
Knocked an old man down and he swore he killed him
Then he made his move to an abandoned building
Ran up the stairs to the top floor
Opened up the door there, guess who he saw?
Dave the dope fiend shooting dope
Who don't know the meaning of water nor soap
He said, "I need bullets, hurry up, run"
The dope fiend brought back a spanking shotgun
He went outside but there was cops all over
Then he dipped into a car, a stolen Nova
Raced up the block doing 83
Crashed into a tree near a university
Escaped alive though the car was battered
Rat-a-tat-tatted and all the cops scattered
Ran out of bullets and still, he had static
Grabbed a pregnant lady, pulled out the automatic
Pointed at her head and said the gun was full o' lead
He told the cops, "Back off or honey here's dead"
Deep in his heart, he knew he was wrong
Let the lady go and started to run along
Sirens sounded, he seemed astounded
Before long, the little boy got surrounded
He dropped his gun, so went the glory
And this is the way I have to end this story
He was only seventeen, in a madman's dream
The cops shot the kid, I still hear him scream
And this ain't funny so don't you dare laugh
Just another case about the wrong path
Straight and narrow or your soul gets cashed