Preacher In The Ring

Lyrics: Bruce Hornsby
Music: Bruce Hornsby

A Bruce Hornsby song played with The Other Ones

Part I

Verse 1
Spent the night over at a friend's place
Sunday morning came he was in my face
Said I want to take you to a place
Put you in a state of grace
Drove way out to a cinder block house
I walked in like Thomas in doubt
Saw a man in a reptile suit
With a rattling sound
Whoa no, whoa no
I can't get with this here I know
Never seen nothing like this before
Hey, Hey, hey

Chorus 1
Hallelujah and praise the man
Upstairs with the long hand
Wrap the snake and the angels sing
Take a ride with the preacher in the ring

Verse 2
There was bitin' and jumpin' and moans and wails
Believers out shakin' on the spirit trail
Then some came and threw the man in jail, the man in jail
He lifted up the snake overhead so high
Eyes closed tight he praised the sky
Was a wild-eyed scramble over tables and chairs
To see the light
Whoa whoa so long
Copperheads and sacred songs
The book of Mark couldn't be wrong
Hey, hey, hey, hey

Chorus 2
Hallelujah and praise the man
Upstairs with the long hand
Wrap the snake and watch 'em all sting
As they go ten rounds with the preacher in the ring

Verse 3
They're locking 'em up, they've got 'em on the run
Might as well sue all the doctors when they don't get it done
Not everything everybody does Works all the time, son
Whoa no, whoa no
Say you got the answer well how do you know?
It works for me that's all I know
Hey, hey, hey, hey

[chorus 2]
Part II
Verse 4
There were tambourines and moans and wails
Wrappin' the snake on the healing trail
But a child passed, it was the devil and the snake
And the devil prevailed
Big deep trouble for a young child gone
Maybe the book and the verse was all wrong
Keep your eyes closed, your lips sealed tight
Keep your mind right
Whoa no whoa no
Good Lord lift this heavy load
Maybe I'm going down a wrong road
Well no, no, no

[chorus 1]

Verse 5
Lawmen went to the house on the hill
Found the wife and the wind so still
Was a woman and a rope and a kicked-over chair
And a beam too high
Thrown out of town got to find a new site
Someone said it's like the Israelites
They say it's the persecuted ones
Gonna will find the light
Whoa no, so long
Copperheads and sacred songs
The book of Mark couldn't be wrong
But, no, no, no

[chorus 2]

[repeat verse 3]

[chorus 2]

Wrap the snake and the angels sing
Take your ride with the preacher in the ring
Recordings
     Date Album Recorded By
     1998 Spirit Trail Bruce Hornsby
     2014 Solo Concerts Bruce Hornsby


 


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