DEAD MAN AT THE DOOR (Remastered)

[Intro Instrumental: A lone descending whistle over distant wind. Cracked electric piano answers with two low notes. Dry drums enter slowly beneath tremolo guitar, heavy bass and a dull iron strike.]

[Verse 1]
There came a knock before the daylight
Three slow blows against the wood
My woman stirred beneath the covers
I told her everything was good

I crossed the hall without my boots on
Felt the cold come through the floor
Saw a long black shape behind the curtain
And a dead man at the door

[Pre-Chorus]
He had dust upon his shoulders
He had river mud below
He held the name I left behind me
Like a debt I still could owe

[Chorus]
Dead man at the door
Dead man at the door
He came to take what I had stolen
He came to settle up the score

Dead man at the door
With my shadow on his face
A man can run beyond the county
But the past will know the place

[Instrumental: The whistle returns over heavy bass. Brass rises in a restrained swell while handclaps sit deep beneath the drums.]

[Verse 2]
He said, “You built yourself a clean life
With the money from the flame
Bought a bed and bought a garden
But you never bought a name”

Then he laid a bullet on the table
Set it turning like a coin
Said, “The men beneath the red earth
Sent me here for you to join”

[Pre-Chorus]
In the bedroom she was breathing
In the yard the blackbird cried
I could hear the morning coming
Like a train from the other side

[Chorus]
Dead man at the door
Dead man at the door
He came to take what I had stolen
He came to settle up the score

Dead man at the door
With my shadow on his face
A man can run beyond the county
But the past will know the place

[Bridge: The drums fall away. Only bass, foot stomps, low piano and the sound of metal dragged slowly across concrete.]

I asked him who had sent him
He said, “Every man you crossed”

I asked him what it cost me
He said, “Everything it cost”

I reached beneath the table
He smiled before I drew

Said, “You learned to live as someone else
I learned to die as you”

[Instrumental Build: Drums return with a heavier shuffle. Distorted guitar scrapes across the beat. Brass swells wider while rough backing voices hum beneath the lead.]

[Final Chorus]
Dead man at the door
Dead man at the door
One of us would meet the morning
One would stain the kitchen floor

Dead man at the door
Now the rain has washed the track
There was one man standing in the hall
But two men looking back

[Outro]
Three slow blows
Against the wood

Three slow blows
I understood

[Outro Instrumental: The whistle repeats the opening melody. Bass and piano continue beneath distant brass until a single gunshot-like drum hit cuts the room silent.]

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[Intro Instrumental: A lone descending whistle over distant wind. Cracked electric piano answers with two low notes. Dry drums enter slowly beneath tremolo guitar, heavy bass and a dull iron strike.] [Verse 1] There came a knock before the daylight Three slow blows against the wood My woman stirred beneath the covers I told her everything was good I crossed the hall without my boots on Felt the cold come through the floor Saw a long black shape behind the curtain And a dead man at the door [Pre-Chorus] He had dust upon his shoulders He had river mud below He held the name I left behind me Like a debt I still could owe [Chorus] Dead man at the door Dead man at the door He came to take what I had stolen He came to settle up the score Dead man at the door With my shadow on his face A man can run beyond the county But the past will know the place [Instrumental: The whistle returns over heavy bass. Brass rises in a restrained swell while handclaps sit deep beneath the drums.] [Verse 2] He said, “You built yourself a clean life With the money from the flame Bought a bed and bought a garden But you never bought a name” Then he laid a bullet on the table Set it turning like a coin Said, “The men beneath the red earth Sent me here for you to join” [Pre-Chorus] In the bedroom she was breathing In the yard the blackbird cried I could hear the morning coming Like a train from the other side [Chorus] Dead man at the door Dead man at the door He came to take what I had stolen He came to settle up the score Dead man at the door With my shadow on his face A man can run beyond the county But the past will know the place [Bridge: The drums fall away. Only bass, foot stomps, low piano and the sound of metal dragged slowly across concrete.] I asked him who had sent him He said, “Every man you crossed” I asked him what it cost me He said, “Everything it cost” I reached beneath the table He smiled before I drew Said, “You learned to live as someone else I learned to die as you” [Instrumental Build: Drums return with a heavier shuffle. Distorted guitar scrapes across the beat. Brass swells wider while rough backing voices hum beneath the lead.] [Final Chorus] Dead man at the door Dead man at the door One of us would meet the morning One would stain the kitchen floor Dead man at the door Now the rain has washed the track There was one man standing in the hall But two men looking back [Outro] Three slow blows Against the wood Three slow blows I understood [Outro Instrumental: The whistle repeats the opening melody. Bass and piano continue beneath distant brass until a single gunshot-like drum hit cuts the room silent.]

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