Cruel White Water

Up near the border where the cruel white water
Drowns vagabond who sleeps too low
Me and my companion, famous Jack O'Lanterns
Tracked the misty mountain through the snow

Ran across the hidden chord, couldn't learn the changes
Blue Pacific called, I had to go
There was holly on the ivy in the apparition mountains
The warmest bed I found was ten below

Courted lady Greensleeves, she threw me out the window
I landed like a feather in the trees
Took off across New Mexico and landed in the Bayou
But the catfish was too lean, I had to blow

Don't lie for gold, no, no, no
Don't lie for love, turns out cold
If life depends, just get out whole
Don't lie for less, no, no, no, no

Marie, Marie Helena
You're my amour, you're my own heart
Oh, Marie, Marie Helena
Oh Marie, Marie Helena

Left the life of ease and caught the black iron steamer
Across the barren waste to your arcade
I sang, 'Take me to your leader in my strangest country tenor'
The bed I meant to lay was halfway made

Leftover pieces aren't exactly what I needed
They didn't have much meaning on their own
There was some talk of deviation from what was never mentioned
So I set out to find the wrong way home

Home inside the hour, tuning my guitar
Well, I get that sudden urge I know too well
I finished my rendition of don't pity my condition
Then I looked around to find what I could sell

Can't sell your soul, leave that alone
Can't change your role, Big Daddy Low
Don't break your back less than love
Don't trade your love stars above

And Marie, Marie Helena
My firelight, you steal my heart
Oh Marie, Marie Helena
Oh Marie, Marie Helena

Caught up with Jack O'Lanterns in a town called Make It Hurt
Preaching three card Monte in the Live And Let It Church
The choir was down and dirty, drawin' bad and bettin' worse
Left at ten to six in a padded hearse

I might find companions in the after-hour taverns
Tell a tale or two I've never heard but the strangest song I know
Is 'What the thunder says to lightning'
And I never could recall a single word
Except

Up, near the border where the cruel white water
Drowns the vagabond who sleeps too low
Me and my companion, famous Jack O'Lanterns
Tracked the misty mountains through the snow

Don't lie for gold, no, no, no
Don't lie for love, turns out cold
If life depends, just get out whole
Don't lie for less, no, no, no, no

Marie, Marie Helena
You're my amour, you're my own heart
Oh Marie, Marie Helena
Marie Marie, Marie Helena

Marie, Marie Helena
Marie Marie, Marie Helena
Marie, Marie Helena
Marie Marie, Marie Helena

Marie, Marie Helena
Marie Marie, Marie Helena
Marie, Marie Helena
Marie Marie, Marie Helena