16 Horsepower - Black Bush

i can sense it all around me
there's somethin' in this room
it ain't magic nor no witchcraft
no bitch on no broom
look see his bones are gone
he done left the grave
the grip of death it could not hold him down no
it's for him that i rave
my knees was made for kneelin'
an that's just what they'll do
one of these days little girl
i'll go down an pray for you
look see his bones are gone
he's done all my dyin'
sometimes hope's so strong in me girl
i commence to cryin'
o my brothers
these are the great dust bowl days
just take a gander round ya
everything in a wicked haze
"the wind blows like the devil when it blows
an a boy grows up an like the wind he goes"

16 Horsepower - Black Soul Choir

ain't none ever seen the face of his foe no
he ain't made of flesh & bone
he's the one who sits up close beside you
an when he's there you are alone
every man is evil yes an every man is a liar
an unashamed with the wicked tongues sing
in the black soul choir
yes an no man ever seen the face of my lord no
not since he left his skin
he's the one you keep cold on the outside girl
he's at your door let him in
o i will forgive your wrongs
yes i am able
an for my own i feel great shame
i would offer up a brick to the back of your head boy
if i were cain

16 Horsepower - Harm's Way

here ain't nothin' that ain't in my way
an like the fool i am for my own gain i pray
you say you found, a way back inside my closet
ol' bones upon bones an joints upon sockets
yep yey
i am an honest man when i ain't lying
i am a living man when i commence to dyin'
bring it down bring it down on me
put me on a high horse so everyone can see
then kick the nag an leave me be
swingin' from the tree
listen good people i'll tell you some truth
i got no reason to lie to you
i'm as clean as a hounds tooth
i still love the woman of my youth
the lord on my behalf doth pray
he's with me even in harm's way

16 Horsepower - Burning Bush

All the widows watch
Through all window sills
Hair raisin' in every room
Up the street come a walkin' chill
An' you ask for nothin'
'cept to be by my side

See my tears good father
Will they wash it away
All my dirt from your holy feet
No i don't believe it works that way
'cause you ask for nothin'
'cept to be by my side

I seen you in the river
Before god an' man
Held by the holy hand of winter
Brought low by winter's holy hand

Yes my sister girl
I know that it is true
You see me with the lord's eye girl
An' you see right through
An' you ask for nothin'
Is there somethin' behind my eyes

I can look good i swear
When the spirit blows
All ore an' all through yeah
My wretched bones
An' you ask for nothin'
'cept to be by my side love

I seen you in the river
Before god an' man
Held by the holy hand of winter
Brought low by winter's holy hand

16 Horsepower - Sac Of Religion

i'm a rompin' dead boy on a long road
what opened up my eyes to this
i'm just trying to keep 'em closed
hey feller what ya got in that sac
is it somethin' fer me?
a little knowin' is a dangerous thing boy
please take it from me
'cause i'm gone for today boys
gone - but never far away
she won't come - an' i won't follow
shadows lick the day
i entertained that thought so much
it'll never go away
get outta here you yellow bellied snake
slither your way through town
if e'r see you again
put you in the ground
'cause i'm gone for today boys
gone, but never far away
i'll burn lovely
swoop on down an grab me round
land on me i'll burn lovely
swoop on down - jus' take off that
singeing singing gown

16 Horsepower - The Denver Grab

see my love cut down the lane
sways and grinds ooh, that's your play
ya treat me like your prayers
though i'm alone
yer drivin' me to pray, "trouble" i'm undone
hold me up
will ye be my doll?
hold me up
'til the sun it cometh down
i didn't want it no
blood is to blame
there's a little fury on me and i'm ok
don't tell me that
you'll descend 'cause
i'm no bedlam - i'm your friend
see the girl - the girl's alone
see the boy - away from home
don't tell him nothin'
leave well enough alone
boy, oh boy, the boy's a stone

16 Horsepower - Phyllis Ruth

the chill of coffeeville
she's in those hills still
kindness of her face so white
the chill of coffeeville
lord pray it be your will
that she dwell in your house tonight
as one with spirit yes
she goes where it goes
what my little girl sees from the sill
nobody knows
as one with spirit yeh
she goes where it leads
o boy - that's where my little girl feeds
should i do - do like you
look long with swing eyes
an' never talk about it
phyllis ruth
yeah i should - do as you would
walk right up to that box of wood
step up girl
how far is heaven
i'll go tonight - be a man about it
boy an' hold you tight

16 Horsepower - My Narrow Mind

wicked, wicked
from the mouth i spout - o lord
don' let these thoughts come out
my knees they knock and my feet they fail
the thoughts i think i see your face turn pale
take my hand an' you will see - the one in the
wayback
take my hand an' you will be the one atop the
swayback
your word so pretty
yes i love that sound
my heart like a hammer does pound
my breath it leaves me to speak it
my legs they tremble to the ground
wish i was a bible thumpin' fool
ye from the old school
a mind as narrow as the road i walk
always upright when i talk but
take my hand and you will see...

16 Horsepower - Ditch Digger (U.S.)

i dug on down - for to see my true love
she is the only - girl i will speak of
yes i went on down for to get my girl
an' free her from the devil's world
i hear the sound of her heart a poundin'
fear was the hole boy that she wer' found in
the tears of my lord
yes they run to the ground
amazing grace how sweet the sound
yes i wen' on down for to see my true love
yeah an' i foun' trouble there
but even so i thank the lord for givin' me
And givin' one so fair

16 Horsepower - For Heaven's Sake

i surely knew it was a trap ye
yet my hands they would not listen
i shoulda known your word was flap
comin' out all sweet an drippin'
o so where could i go - yes but to the lord
i been to your house an' see what you adore
i left there stiff - stiff as a board
where could i go but to the lord
when will i hurt for heaven's sake
when will i suffer for the sake of heaven
all my love well it is madness
freely given to you folks with gladness
i will not live and die - no not by the sword
i am weak without the joy of the lord
taste and see that the lord is good
let's bend our knees like we know we should
we can't see clear - our eyes are made of wood
taste and see boy that the lord is good

16 Horsepower - Golden Rope

fire is the color of my true love's hair
near to the father sits his golden chair
by prayer and petition to the king on his left
light is the burden that i bear
o so enchanting are these
lovely chains that bind you
'neath their deadly weight
the lord's eye did find you
with fear and tremblin'
before the one with your wounds
your eyes as empty as my savior tomb
warm is the breath of his holy spirit
he who has ears to hear let 'm hear it
torn were the hands of the worthy lamb
may you know his name and fear it
there you are hangin' by the golden rope
there you lie no hope

16 Horsepower - Hang My Teeth On Your Door

your sympathy is my simple joy
your bossom my mobile home
free from the thunder that tore me asunder
i have you as my own
and i hold you over rolling on the floor
naked you say this is the way
let's sing an' dance some more
and there's love sore love in your eyes
there's rest love rest for me your lonely boy
rosey cheeks an' ruby lips fade with every sigh
dance in the middle an' flee from the ghetto
an' tango thigh to thigh
and please dare - show bare your need to me again
this is the way - redeem the day
an' daily pull me in

16 Horsepower - Low Estate

to hell with boys creepin' up slowly
swingin' them shovels 'round
diggin' up words of pleasure
from evil hollow ground
o - an' here's one now girl
the devil is in his eye
you'd better start stirring up soil boy
or hear e'r you'll lye
whispered to you in the dark
and i think you heard me say
let's say goodbye like we said hello
in a friendly kind of way
ye charlie's neat an' charlie's keen but
david he's a dandy
david he's a nice young man
he feeds the girls on candy
whispered to you in the dark
and all that sordid gain
let's say goodbye like we said hello
in a friendly kinda way
now what i done's my damage
an' what you do is your'n
y'all got nothin' on me
but i'll take that there
crown of scorn

16 Horsepower - Coal Black Horses (World)

just as sure as that suns gonna shine
when he comes at his table i will dine
just as sure as that dog's gonna whine
in my heart no longer will i pine
just as sure as by evil you are torn
the sky will open up an' an angel blow his horn
an' down come jesus lookin' so fine
just as sure as that girl she is mine....
an' i say
hey hey hey it's always forever
hey hey hey it's never or now
i dug a hole an' hollowed it out
yes an' i fell in
oh lord i'm caught in the cord....
the cord of my own sin
shoot 'em up cowboy - yeah i got away
but i been draggin' this chain the whole way.....
an i say
hey hey hey it's always forever
hey hey hey it's never or now
oh yea boys i know an' i am certain
in your heart of heart ye all are hurtin'
oh no no no not that name not to me
it's much too hard to get down on my knees
but just as sure as by evil you are torn
the sky will open up an' an angel blow his horn
an' down come jesus lookin' so fine
just as sure as that girl she is mine.....
i say.....

16 Horsepower - Dead Run

the devil's brand is on my bones
an' from inside the holy ghost groans
sure as shootin' the undertaker knows
he lays the headstones in endless rows
ye one an' all we croak like a raven
it's the dead an' the dyin' we're cravin'
ye one an' all
follow the man tall
hear his voice
an' drop to a dead crawl
hey boy
look straight at the sun
to the center you make a dead run
you're gonna halfta cut off both my hands
i got pride as big as dixie land
i wanna sit where the velvet is red yes an'
where can i lay this apple core?
i wanna drink of the blood that was shed girl
i can't breathe anymore
ye that's right she's waltzin' out the door
to dandy lions waitin'
ye that's right she wants more
she's my lady in waitin'

16 Horsepower - Pure Clob Road

are you weary my friends
of my comin' 'round
draggin' my chains 'cross your floor
you once had a stained glass look in your eye
well, not any more
the train moves fast
as i walk this track
carryin' sin in my sack
same in the front as it is in the rear
he's taken our stripes on his back
on down to here
i cannot walk if you did not walk
i cannot breathe if you did not breathe
sin in my marrow
well this road is so narrow
no i cannot walk
this road is pure clob
on down to here
i figured that i would fall
ye well i left it all
sin in my marrow
ye well this road is so narrow
i cannot walk
my lord this road is pure clob