[Hook: deep calm gravel male MC, over low grand piano and dusty live drums] I know the plot, I know how it goes I know the ending 'fore the ending even knows Six feet down, and I dig it by hand I know the plot, 'cause the plot is where you land [Verse 1: deep calm gravel male MC, slow and certain on the beat] Two in the mornin', and the lantern on the stone Whole town tucked in bed, and it's me and the clay alone Spade in the dirt and a cold wind off the hill Cut it to the corners, keep the edges sharp and still Nobody died yet, nobody died today But by the time the sun comes up, somebody's on the way Tuesday it was Pastor Lyle with the Bible on his chest Dug him Monday night, and Tuesday he was dressed Thursday it was Hattie with the coffee and the pie Dug her Wednesday night, and Thursday noon she said goodbye Ain't no poison in my pocket, ain't no razor in my sleeve I just hear the ground get hungry, and I give it what it needs [Hook: deep calm gravel male MC, the piano heavier] I know the plot, I know how it goes I know the ending 'fore the ending even knows Six feet down, and I dig it by hand I know the plot, 'cause the plot is where you land [Verse 2: deep calm gravel male MC, colder] Then here come Mister Varner in a coat that cost a car Wants to pave the whole hill for a parking lot in tar Says, "Old man, this is real estate, the dead don't pay a dime Gonna move 'em to the county, and I'm doin' it on my time" Kicked a little dirt across my mother's name in stone Said, "Plot, huh? Dig me one, and leave the rest of it alone" And I stood there with my shovel, and I let the man be loud 'Cause I measured him already, from his collar to the ground [Bridge: deep calm gravel male MC, low piano under the drums, naming them flat] Sixty years, I dug 'em all the night before Dug the sheriff, dug the mayor, dug the man who ran the store Dug my own wife's on a Sunday with my knuckles to the bone Monday she was laughin' in the kitchen, Tuesday she was gone [Hook: deep calm gravel male MC] I know the plot, I know how it goes I know the ending 'fore the ending even knows Six feet down, and I dig it by hand I know the plot, 'cause the plot is where you land [Verse 3: deep calm gravel male MC, almost kind] Two in the mornin', and the lantern's burnin' low Got a name in my coat that I been waitin' on to show Dug it extra deep, 'cause a big man needs the room Leveled out the bottom so he's comfy in the gloom Up the hill there's a window with a light on in the den Mister Varner countin' money that he'll never count again I ain't touched him, I ain't cursed him, I ain't laid a single hand I just know the way it ends, I just know where people land Sleep good, Mister Varner, get your rest, you got a day Got a lot to pave tomorrow, but the hill is gonna stay [Outro: deep calm gravel male MC, hard cut ending, the band stops dead on the last word] Shovel down, lantern out, that's the plot [End]
