Bruce Hornsby - Preacher In The Ring, Pt. I

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 cinderblock house
I walked in like a 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

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

There was biting and jumping and moans and wails
Believers out shaking 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 souldn't be wrong

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

They're locking them 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

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

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
Oh no, no, no

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

Lawmen went to the house on the hill
Found the wife and the wind so still
There 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 that will find the light
Whoa no, so long
Copperheads and the sacreed songs
The book of Mark couldn't be wrong

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

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

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