# Better Than The Devil

brass upbeat Funk R&B soul Sex-forward Americana Dark blues rock Base electric guitar

V5.5

BETTER THAN THE DEVIL

Copper hanging off your shoulders
Like a warning dressed in red
Green smoke drifting from your fingers
Like slow thoughts inside my head

Cherry mouth and a half-cut grin
Bootheel tapping out the time
Whole room leaning toward your shadow
Like they heard it when you called out, "mine".

You said

"Funny thing about circles..."

Then watched the whiskey spin

Could've meant the county highways
Could've meant your old boyfriend
Could've meant every bad decision
Finding its way back again

You're better than the devil
The devil's easy to spot
He comes dressed up like trouble

You come dressed up like not

The devil only wants your soul
You always wanted mine

Girl, you get beneath my skin
Like rye gets into pine

You get in the grain of a promise
Like rain gets into wood

And somehow every wrong turn
Starts sounding pretty good

---

Neon buzzing through the mirror
Blue and red across your face
You wore that little black dress
Like it owned the whole damn place

Outside the diesels rolled by slow
Dragging white lines through the dark
Inside your hand around that tumbler
Kept throwing off a spark

You said

"Everything comes back around."

Then let the silence sit

And Lord the way you crossed your legs
Made a sermon out of it

You're better than the devil
The devil only lies
You tell the truth so sideways
It takes years to realize

You get in my blood like July heat
Locked underneath the tin

And every time I think I've quit

You happen once again

---

Blue light bleeding through the blinds
Rain working hard on the tin
You stole my shirt and my last clean lie
Then wore them both like skin

The room got small around our breathing
Or maybe we got large
Like two lit matches leaning close
Beside a leaking can of gasoline

Your copper hair across my chest
Your fingertips along my side
The kind of touch that makes a man
Forget which truths he's trying to hide

You whispered

"Nothing leaves completely."

Then kissed the corner of my mouth

And every road I'd ever taken
Turned and pointed south

The devil kicks the front door in
And leaves his muddy tracks

You slip through screens and keyholes
And never quite come back

The devil deals in straight lines
And settles up his score

You leave fingerprints on empty glasses
And ghosts around the door

You're better than the devil
And worse than any vice

The devil tells you what he'll take

You make me name the price

One in the mouth
One in the heat
One where your boots and my bad habits meet

The devil leaves by morning
With whatever he came for

You stay behind in cigarettes
And lipstick on the door

You stay inside the denim
You stay beneath the skin
You stay in every closing hour
That lets the night back in

And years from now some rainy bar
Will catch me unaware
A flash of copper in the corner

And I'll still look for you there

2850/7500

BETTER THAN THE DEVIL Copper hanging off your shoulders Like a warning dressed in red Green smoke drifting from your fingers Like slow thoughts inside my head Cherry mouth and a half-cut grin Bootheel tapping out the time Whole room leaning toward your shadow Like they heard it when you called out, "mine". You said "Funny thing about circles..." Then watched the whiskey spin Could've meant the county highways Could've meant your old boyfriend Could've meant every bad decision Finding its way back again You're better than the devil The devil's easy to spot He comes dressed up like trouble You come dressed up like not The devil only wants your soul You always wanted mine Girl, you get beneath my skin Like rye gets into pine You get in the grain of a promise Like rain gets into wood And somehow every wrong turn Starts sounding pretty good --- Neon buzzing through the mirror Blue and red across your face You wore that little black dress Like it owned the whole damn place Outside the diesels rolled by slow Dragging white lines through the dark Inside your hand around that tumbler Kept throwing off a spark You said "Everything comes back around." Then let the silence sit And Lord the way you crossed your legs Made a sermon out of it You're better than the devil The devil only lies You tell the truth so sideways It takes years to realize You get in my blood like July heat Locked underneath the tin And every time I think I've quit You happen once again --- Blue light bleeding through the blinds Rain working hard on the tin You stole my shirt and my last clean lie Then wore them both like skin The room got small around our breathing Or maybe we got large Like two lit matches leaning close Beside a leaking can of gasoline Your copper hair across my chest Your fingertips along my side The kind of touch that makes a man Forget which truths he's trying to hide You whispered "Nothing leaves completely." Then kissed the corner of my mouth And every road I'd ever taken Turned and pointed south The devil kicks the front door in And leaves his muddy tracks You slip through screens and keyholes And never quite come back The devil deals in straight lines And settles up his score You leave fingerprints on empty glasses And ghosts around the door You're better than the devil And worse than any vice The devil tells you what he'll take You make me name the price One in the mouth One in the heat One where your boots and my bad habits meet The devil leaves by morning With whatever he came for You stay behind in cigarettes And lipstick on the door You stay inside the denim You stay beneath the skin You stay in every closing hour That lets the night back in And years from now some rainy bar Will catch me unaware A flash of copper in the corner And I'll still look for you there

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