John & Elvis Are Dead

Close friend of mine as a child fell into a slumber
No sign of life since '75
Then one day he just, what do you know?
I guess God just called his number

He called me up, he called me up and said
"I've been awake about a week
I'm thinking about asking the doctor
If he could put me back to sleep"

Then he laughed and said
"Hey all the girls they look the same
Don't they know just what their mothers paid
In blood and tears to change"

But the words that made me cry, the thing he softly said
It stayed with me, it keeps messing with my head
He said, "If Jesus Christ is alive and well
Then how come John and Elvis are dead?"

Youth, beautiful youth, we walked through the walls until
We found the truth and said "Change it, it's ugly just change it"
Everyone we used to know, must have given up, so long ago
You can see it, it's written on their faces and the inside of their clothes

But the words that made me cry
'Cos I knew just what they meant he turned to me and said
"Hey boy, if Jesus Christ is alive and well
Then how come John and Elvis are dead?"

Tell me if Jesus Christ is alive and well
Then how come Marvin and Elvis are dead?
I said "If Jesus Christ is going to save us from ourselves
How come peace, love and Elvis are dead?