Tom Waits/Kathleen Brennan (1992)
Well ring the bell backwards and bury the axe
Fall down on your knees in the dirt
I'm tied to the mast between water and wind
Believe me you'll never get hurt
Our ring's in the p***shop the rains in the hull
Down at the five point tyre stand I'll lose everything
But I won't let go of your hand
Well Peter denied and Judas betrayed
I'll bear with the roll of the drum
And the wind will tell the turn from the wheel
And the watchman is making his rounds
Well you'll leave me hanging by the skin of my teeth
I've only got one leg to stand
You can send me to hell
But I'll never let go of your hand
Swing from the rope on cross-legged tree
Signed with one-eyed Jack's blood
From Temple and Union
To LA and Grand
Walking back home in the mud
I must make my best of the only way home
Molly deals only in stone
I'm lost on the midway, I'm reckless in your eye
Just give me a couple more throws
I'll dare you to dine with a cross-legged knife
Dare me to jump and I will
I'll fall from your grace
But I'll never let go of your hand
I'll never let go of your hand
Well ring the bell backwards and bury the axe
Fall down on your knees in the dirt
I'm tied to the mast between water and wind
Believe me you'll never get hurt
Our ring's in the p***shop the rains in the hull
Down at the five point tyre stand I'll lose everything
But I won't let go of your hand
Well Peter denied and Judas betrayed
I'll bear with the roll of the drum
And the wind will tell the turn from the wheel
And the watchman is making his rounds
Well you'll leave me hanging by the skin of my teeth
I've only got one leg to stand
You can send me to hell
But I'll never let go of your hand
Swing from the rope on cross-legged tree
Signed with one-eyed Jack's blood
From Temple and Union
To LA and Grand
Walking back home in the mud
I must make my best of the only way home
Molly deals only in stone
I'm lost on the midway, I'm reckless in your eye
Just give me a couple more throws
I'll dare you to dine with a cross-legged knife
Dare me to jump and I will
I'll fall from your grace
But I'll never let go of your hand
I'll never let go of your hand