[Verse 1] Backwoods death priest Knee‑deep in my own pit Carving crooked letters In a femur I just split Left ‘em in a circle Like some roadside shrine For a possum spirit animal Trailing in behind Hill took my torque Ripped the teeth from my ride What’s left to take But the grip in my hands And the meat off my pride [Pre-Chorus] Coffee curdles in the tin cup Ink bleeds through the page I’m just a busted crankshaft Rattling in its cage [Chorus] So I dig a hole For the ghost of the boy Who thought horsepower Was a way to fill the void Lay him down quiet With his boots and busted faith While the possum watches Patient Like a judge at the gate Backwoods death priest Saying grace over my own remains [Verse 2] Wife’s patience running thin Like the tread on my luck She says “You love that dead machine More than you ever loved us” I can’t tell her she’s wrong But I can’t make it right So I shovel through the topsoil Of every wasted night [Possum Voice] “Scratch your name in the marrow If you want it to stay Humble Boy Be hollow Let the forest have its say” [Chorus] So I dig a hole For the ghost of the boy Who thought horsepower Was a way to fill the void Lay him down quiet With his keys across his chest While the possum watches Grinning Like it knows what’s coming next Backwoods death priest Whispering psalms to an engine’s death [Bridge] Hill took my torque Time took my aim The woods start their collection early Call me out by name [Possum Voice] “Leave the bones and the metal Let the rust take the rest You ain’t measured in your motor You’re the dirt on your vest” [Chorus] So I dig a hole For the gearhead in my head Who thought power Could outrun dread Cover him in red clay Let the whole valley shake While the possum watches Smiling Like it’s watching me awake Backwoods death priest Finally preaching at his own wake
