Crossroads & Deathbed

Grimy slide-guitar delta blues in open tuning, male vocals with a cracked, smoky tone, Stomp box and claps for a raw backbeat, harmonica fills between lines, Verses stay low and muttered; chorus belts out rough and loud with gang shouts on the title line, Roomy, mono-leaning mix like an old field recording, saturated and dirty, delta blues, male vocals

[Verse 1] Devil met me at the crossroads Boots sunk deep in the mud Said "Son You look real tired I can wake your blood" Smoke in his smile Gold on his teeth He drew my name In the dust with his feet [Chorus] Devil met me at the crossroads Jesus met me at my deathbed I been pulled Torn down the middle One hand shaking One hand blessed Devil met me at the crossroads Jesus met me at my deathbed [Verse 2] He offered me a bottle Label peeled Glass brown Said "Drink You'll feel like thunder You’ll own this whole sad town" I saw my mama crying In the shine of that glass Heard my daddy preaching "Boy That storm won’t pass" [Chorus] [Bridge] [low vocal register] Years rolled by like freight trains Rust and rain on my skin Every deal I ever bargain’d Left another fracture in [spoken] Then one night lungs got heavy Cold sheets Hospital light I smelled that red clay crossroads At the edge of my sight [Verse 3] Jesus sat down on my mattress Calloused hands on my chest No halo Just tired eyes Like a worker needs his rest He said "You been chasing shadows You been making your own hell But even dogs come crawling home Boy I know you too well" [Chorus]

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