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Gospel

from Songs by Matt Van Winkle

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lyrics

The lepers went hungry in the place I was born
And the priests threw stones 'til every woman mourned.
I looked up to Heaven, and cried "Things must improve!"
And a drunken voice cried back, "That's what I'm saying to you."

I looked for answers on Truth Street; it was paved with lies.
The tramp said, "Get rich". The whore said, "Get wise.
You know the myth of a Heaven for all the good souls
Is an age-old game, and it's called Crowd Control."

So I went door to door with my therapy.
Soon the women behind them started coming to me.
I soon figured out that to meet their demands
I'd have to put more than wood 'neath these carpenter's hands.

When she finally reached me, she was one of the throng.
I'd seen her crawl away from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
She said, "I won't let you go, 'til your blessing is mine."
So I shut my green eyes, and I took my sweet time.

When we met on the pretext of a bottle of wine,
Though the tavern was smokey, her eyes were bright.
I stood naked on the table — "This is my body!" I cried.
And she followed the bouncer to where he dropped me outside.

I stared up at her. She smiled down at me,
And said, "Christ, you just took me too literally.
You'll have to die to find out the soul never goes home.
Death's a ring at the end of a short string of bone."

And of all that I taught, remember this:
It's not always a lover who brings you a kiss,
And if you live with a hammer, you die with a nail,
With your women in tears, and your name up for sale.

Her face caught my eye as I was nailed to the tree,
And I thought, "Well, we always knew it would be you or me."
And I knew what she needed, but I could not provide
With nails in my hands and a sword in my side.

I knew what she needed, but I could not provide
With nails in my hands and a sword in my side.

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from Songs, released September 1, 2006

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