House Burning Down

(album: Electric Ladyland - 1968)

Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey

Look at the sky turn a hell fire red
Somebody's house is burning down down, down down
Down, down, down.

Well I asked my friend where is that black smoke coming from ?
He just coughed and changed the subject and
said oh wa I think it might snow some
So I left him sipping his tea an' I jumped in my chariot
And rode off to see just why and who could it be this time.

Sisters and brothers daddys mothers standing 'round crying
When I reached the scene the flames were making a ghostly whine
So I stood on my horse's back an' I screamed without a crack
I say oh baby why'd you burn your brother's house down ?

Hey ! Hey ! Hey ! Hey !

Look out the sky turn a hell fire red Lord
Somebody's house is burning down down, down down
Look out the sky turn a hell fire red Lord
Somebody's house is burning down down, down down down.

Well someone stepped from the crowd he was nineteen miles high
He shouts retired and disgusted so we paint red through the sky
I said the truth is straight ahead so don't burn yourself instead
Try to learn instead of burn, hear what I say, yeah, yeah.

So I fin'ly rode away but I'll never forget that day
'Cause when I reached the valley I looked way down cross the way
A giant boat from space landed with eerie grace
And came and taken all the dead away.

Hey ! Hey ! Hey ! Hey !

What'd I say.
Look at the sky turn a hell fire red Lord
Somebody's house is burning down down, down down
Look at the sky turn a hell fire red Lord
Somebody's house is burning down down, down down
Look at the sky, look at the sky.

Ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Oh baby