| Here in this town, there’s a cloud overhead,
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| Its shadows are gardens,
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| It rains in our beds,
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| A paralyzed loneliness lies here along with the dead,
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| And the living, like me,
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| Fear remains with me and guilt never leaves,
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| At night, through my window, all I ever see,
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| Is a view of that bridge that leads somewhere where I’ll never be,
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| Though I long to go.
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| From under that bridge, I hear melodies roar!
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| Light flickers my windows!
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| Drums rattle my doors!
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| The preacher told me, «They're all sinners and whores,
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| Their laughter is tormenting me!»
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| Well, one night out of weakness,
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| And a thirst in my throat,
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| I ran to that bridge,
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| I swore I’d never go!
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| At the end of that tunnel, I saw a fiery light!
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| I walked in hanging my head and cried,
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| Came out struttin' on the other side!
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| Well now I feel so,
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| Like I got somewhere to go!
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| I’m gonna strut right through, gonna tear that town,
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| And show them all that there’s a new man around!
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| Got a spring in my step,
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| Fire in my bones!
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| Road turns a way I never knew before,
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| Tell the preacher «Amen!» |
| let him pay the bill,
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| Leave the Devil outside til he makes a deal!
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| No, I never believed that anything could have changed!
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| And the walls that surround me,
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| They would always remain!
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| Come tomorrow mornin',
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| I might just feel the same,
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| Then I’ll walk back down to that old bridge,
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| And I’ll come right back out struttin' again!
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| Oh momma, now, don’t you cry,
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| I gotta play for the winning side,
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| Cause I just lost so many days,
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| I gotta roll that dice, gotta play the game,
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| Now more clearly I can see,
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| I ain’t got no need to leave!
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| Cause I laugh with the sinners that I used to hear,
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| And I waltz with the demons that I used to fear! |