[Intro] The dogs went quiet by the water tank The porch light blinked, then the whole yard sank Mama said, “Stay where the boards don’t creak” But something down in the well said, “Speak” [Verse 1] Black mud climbing up the cellar stair Cold iron taste in the August air I heard my name from the cornfield rows Then saw bare footprints where no one goes My brother’s coat on a fencepost nail One sleeve wet and the other pale I took the lamp; it died in my hand A dead man’s laugh rolled under the land [Pre-Chorus] Count the knocks—one, two, three Something’s coming back for me Cut the wire, bar the door Hear that heartbeat through the floor [Chorus] It alive, it alive, in the dark below It alive, it alive, where the cold roots grow You can nail that coffin, you can salt that ground When the dirt starts breathing, don’t turn around It alive—say the word, let the whole house know It alive, it alive, and it won’t let go [Verse 2] Old man Harlan had a jar of teeth Kept it wrapped in a Sunday sheet Said, “That thing wears a face you know And calls you sweet when the lamps burn low” He drew a cross on the kitchen wall Then every nail began to crawl A voice came through the radio hiss: “Tell your sister I remember this” [Female Whisper] I hear you under the boards I hear you counting the doors You left me where the roots grow deep Now I’m awake, and you can’t sleep [Pre-Chorus] Count the knocks—four, five, six Hear the latch begin to click Hold your breath; don’t make a sound Something’s climbing out of ground [Chorus] It alive, it alive, in the dark below It alive, it alive, where the cold roots grow You can nail that coffin, you can salt that ground When the dirt starts breathing, don’t turn around It alive—say the word, let the whole house know It alive, it alive, and it won’t let go [Drum-and-Bass Surge] Run through the cane, run through the rain Every turn brings the well again A hard black hand on the window glass A mouth in the mirror that mouths my past Run, run—don’t look behind It knows the roads, it knows your mind [Half-Time Drop] I struck the match. The flame bent down. The whole damn field Turned its face around. [Bridge] You can hear the church bell split the air You can hear the whole town kneeling there But the hymn came back in a broken key And the voice in the well sang harmony I said, “You were buried. You were bone.” It said, “You left me there alone.” Then the floorboards bowed, the rafters cried And my brother stood with his eyes sewn wide [Female Build] I was low beneath the clay I was cold and put away Now the roots release my name Now the house will learn the same [Chorus — Full Voice] It alive, it alive, in the dark below It alive, it alive, where the cold roots grow You can nail that coffin, you can salt that ground When the dirt starts breathing, don’t turn around It alive—hear the whole dead county know It alive, it alive, and it won’t let go [Twin-Guitar Solo] [Final Verse] I ran for the bridge as the dawn went red With a second set of steps where I should’ve tread At the far bank, I turned to see My own front door standing in the stream The house was gone; the well was dry But something in my throat said, “Try” Now every night when the porch boards strain I hear that voice call me by name [Final Chorus — Shouted and Belting] It alive, it alive, in the dark below It alive, it alive, where the cold roots grow You can nail that coffin, you can salt that ground When the dirt starts breathing, don’t turn around It alive—let the last church bell toll It alive, it alive, and it’s taking its toll It alive! It alive! [Outro — Whispered] The dogs went quiet by the water tank The porch light blinked... Then the whole yard sank. [Deep Shout] IT ALIVE.
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