Fiddle

When I was a boy there were fifteen a-people in the world
Fifteen a-bound for heaven, and fifteen a-bound for hell
And the devil come 'round, yeah he jump on my bed
Say you got to leave me alone you got to give me some rest

But I gather my lead, and I gather my spool
And I burn it all with sulphur 'til the devil did what we feared

And we fly through the night, under the mercury moon
So I could watch you sleep and dream a-in your room

When I was a boy, a-there were fifteen people in the world
I had a bowl for my sweetheart, and a fiddle to raise the devil from hell
I could play a sweet tune, or make my sweetheart laugh
I could shake a blackbird from the highest tree branch

I was half a boy, I was half a jack
Jimmy? donner? was full of man, most of which is bad

You know he shot a man that had my father's face
And he geld a woman down who had my sister's name

When I was a boy, a-there were fifteen people in the world
And the lovers would lie in the long tall grass by the railroad track
And the angels come down, they make the rails to sing
I put my ears to the tracks, and they tell me things

That a train would come with a fiery roar
Reeks in heaven into hell into a long black trail of smoke

And the earth would shake with the escaping steam
And the train would make a thunder to drown out any scream

Hmmm, hmmm
Hmmm, hmmm
Hmmm, hmmm
Hmmm, hmmm

When I was a boy, a-there were a-fifteen people in the world
A-fifteen bound for heaven, and fifteen bound for hell
And the lovers would lie in a box o' pine
And the doctor come 'round, to flick coins on their eyes

I'm a preacher man now, I've got my place on earth
'cause I have heard the voices from beyond this world

I'm a preacher man now, I've got my place in hell
'cause I have heard the voices no man should live to tell
'cause I have heard the voices no man should live to tell

Huh-huh, huh-huh
Huh-huh, huh-huh
Huh-huh, huh-huh
Huh-huh, huh-huh

Huh-huh, huh-huh
Huh-huh, huh-huh
Huh-huh, huh-huh
Huh-huh, huh-huh