[Intro] [Driving banjo roll, harmonica wail, stomp kick] [Verse 1] I know the signs by now: my jaw locks up, my hands go tight, So I grab my keys off the nail and I kiss 'em all goodnight. Kids think Daddy works the graveyard shift down at the mill, But I'm parked out in the dark on top of Cutter's Hill. She leaves the porch light burnin' and the back door on the latch, I sit up there and watch it while I burn through half a pack. She thinks there's another woman, and I let her think there's one, 'Cause that's a kinder story than the thing I might become. [Chorus] Chain it up, lock it down, drive it out of town, Bury it deep where the hound dogs won't go, Love my wife from a distance, kiss my kids through the screen— I'm protectin' you from the darkside of me. [Verse 2] Mama sets a plate out every Sunday after church, And every Sunday it goes cold, and that's the part that hurts. My brother got married in June, I made it through the vows, Then slipped out 'fore the toasts, 'fore the whiskey came around. Friday nights at the Starlight, the boys don't holler my name, Say I got too good for 'em, and I let 'em think the same. Someday them kids'll hate me, and I reckon that's alright, Better hate a daddy gone than fear the one that's home at night. [Chorus] Chain it up, lock it down, drive it out of town, Bury it deep where the hound dogs won't go, Love my wife from a distance, kiss my kids through the screen— I'm protectin' you from the darkside of me. [Instrumental Break] [Harmonica solo over banjo roll, 4 bars] [Bridge] [Half-time, banjo and kick only] Granddaddy had it, and Daddy had it worse, Swore it'd never find me, but it found me first. So I'll carry it alone out where nobody's gotta see, And when they lay me down, it goes down with me. [Final Chorus] [Full band, gang vocals, heavy stomps] Chain it up, lock it down, drive it out of town, Bury it deep where the hound dogs won't go, Love my wife from a distance, kiss my kids through the screen— I'm protectin' you from the darkside of me. [Chorus] Chain it up, lock it down, drive it out of town, Bury it deep where the hound dogs won't go, Love my wife from a distance, kiss my kids in my dreams— I'm protectin' you from the darkside of me. [Outro] [Banjo drops out, harmonica alone] Keep that porch light burnin', babe— Just don't wait up for me. [Final stomp hit] [End]
