Living on the outskirts of hope I see the evil men do,
Surrounded by unfaithful angels beating souls black and blue,
As the trees whisper an answer to the question of the wind,
We're condemned to killing time, so we die bit by bit,
There ain't no recipes for living beneath the maker's rage,
What the great score-keeper's marking up against our names.

You know I've been searching all the days of my youth in hopes to one day meet the face of truth,
I've seen crooked men walk a crooked mile, yet I've resisted the devil's daughter of desire.

So don't let the sky fall on me,
Is this the dark before the dawn'
Oh, Heaven's eye, have mercy to find my place in the Son.

Somewhere between the cradle and the grave, where the strange crossroads lie,
Oh, is the queen of pleasure, king of pain who makes the punishment fit the crime,
Oh, grizzly gang with your wicked will, do your worst and I'll do my best,
All you guardians of the faith, 'bout time to put it to the test,
Well, I heard the old man say it'll all soon pass away,
God shed his grace on thee as I meet with destiny.

You know that I'm never gonna pass this way again,
And my flesh into the dust, it will descend,
Just one more thing I heard the old men had said: 'Don't be fooled, you know there really are no dead.'

So don't let the sky fall on me,
Is this the dark before the dawn'
Oh, Heaven's eye, have mercy to find my place in the Son,
No, don't let the sky fall on me in this ghetto painted gold,
Is paradise so far away, oh, captain of my soul'

Don't let the sky fall on me,
Is this the dark before the dawn'
Oh, Heaven's eye, have mercy to find my place in the Son,
No, don't let the sky fall on me in this ghetto painted gold,
Is paradise so far away, oh, captain of my soul'
No, don't let the sky fall on me,
Is this the dark before the dawn'
Oh, Heaven's eye, have mercy to find my place in the Son.
Don't let the sky fall on me in this ghetto painted gold,
Is paradise so far away, oh, captain of my soul'