[Intro: one hand bell rings, a shovel bites the dirt, the choir breathes in] [Hook: urgent male lead, dark choir answers each line] Cut the string (cut the string), 'fore you put the shovel in Dead don't ring (dead don't ring), so if it's ringin', it's the wind Ten a body at the back gate (back gate), and the wind don't talk to men [Verse 1: male lead, low and quick, stomps under every bar] Wooden spade so it don't clink, sackin' on the lantern light Dig the head end only, crack the lid, and that's a ten-dollar night Law says a corpse ain't nobody's, but a shirt is theft So I leave 'em every stitch they wore, and I take what's left Doctor at the college pays it cold at the back gate Students need a heart to learn on, and a heart won't keep, so I can't be late Rich folks bought a bell for the headstone, string down through the lid Ribbon on the finger, so they ring if they wake up like some did [Flow switch: triple-time, the dig] Bite it and lift it and toss it, the rhythm is older than me Four feet down 'cause the family was cheap, and the cheap ones are easy to see Silas used to hold the lantern. Silas went west last fall Took the cart and took the money. That's what I told 'em all [Hook: dark choir answers] Cut the string (cut the string), 'fore you put the shovel in Dead don't ring (dead don't ring), so if it's ringin', it's the wind Ten a body at the back gate (back gate), and the wind don't talk to men [Verse 2: All Hallows, wind off the river, the bell hits get closer] All Hallows, every candle out, the river breathin' slow Doctor wants a fresh one: blacksmith's boy, the north row Snipped his string first thing like always, tied the end around a stone Foot down in the dirt, and a bell starts ringin' on its own Look at my hand. I'm holdin' the string. Cut clean. The end is in my fist Bell keeps ringin'. Not this bell. Two rows back. In the mist [Flow switch: stop-start, he argues with himself] Wind. It's wind. Since when does wind keep time? Fox. It's a fox. A fox can't count to nine Kids. It's kids. Ain't no fuckin' kids up here past dark Two rows back. No stone. That's mine. That's my mark [Beat Switch: drums drop out, only the bell and a low choir, then the stomps slam back] Silas found the Lord last summer, said he's goin' to the judge Gonna tell 'em every grave and every gate. I wouldn't budge So I laid him out with the spade, and he was breathin' when he fell Put him in a rich man's spare box with the ribbon and the bell Meant to cut it. Swear to God I meant to. Shovel didn't care Packed the dirt down with my boots and left that string up in the air [Verse 3: half-time, heavy, the choir hums under] Sat down on that sunk ground with the cut string in my hand Bell rang till the rooster, and I never tried to stand Now the doctor asks me why my hands shake when I bring the bodies in I say, "Cold." It ain't the cold. It's the ringin' in the wind [Final Hook: full choir, male lead raw] Never cut his string (cut the string) when I put my partner in Dead don't ring (dead don't ring), but he's ringin', and it ain't the wind And it rings for one man (one man), and that man is me. Amen (amen) [Outro: choir holds "amen," one bell, then silence]
