A Needle And Spoon

[Intro – slow, stomping beat, distorted slide riff looping] (Gravelly vocal, half-sung, half-chanted) Lord, take this body, Can’t take this soul. Needle in my vein, And the ground so cold. [Verse 1] I woke up dirty, blood on my hand, Another midnight deal in a one-light town. Devil don’t whisper, devil don’t wait, He’s sittin’ at the table with a crooked smile face. [Chorus – call & response, gospel-raw] (Lead) Needle and the spoon, draggin’ me low. (Response – ghostly backing chant) Draggin’ me low… (Lead) Took my mama’s prayers, still I let it grow. (Response) Let it grow… (Lead) No preacher, no cross, no holy tune, Gonna save my life from the needle and the spoon. [Verse 2] I seen men beg, I seen strong men crawl, I seen the best of ‘em fade til there’s nothin’ at all. Ain’t no whiskey burn that can drown this fire, Ain’t no sweet woman gonna lift me higher. [Bridge – stripped down, stomps and claps only] I’m a dog in the dirt, I’m a crow on the wire, Chasin’ my ghost through a blood-soaked mire. You can call it the cure, you can call it the sin, But it don’t let go once it’s under your skin. [Verse 3 – WARNING] Stay clear of that needle, stay clear of that spoon, I’ve danced with the devil and I howled at the moon. No high’s worth the holler in your mama’s eyes, No thrill can erase the tears your children cry. If you slip once, ain’t nothin’ to prepare, Pain ain’t a word ’til it rips you bare. You’ll beg for relief, you’ll crawl in the night, But that needle and spoon don’t care if you fight. [Final Chorus – full gospel stomp, raw vocals breaking] (Lead) Needle and the spoon, draggin’ me low. (Response) Draggin’ me low… (Lead) Took my soul to hell, never let it go. (Response) Let it go… (Lead – almost shouted) No preacher, no grave, no silver moon, Gonna save my blood from the needle and the spoon. [Outro – instruments fade, just a stomp & ghostly chant] (Whispered chant fading out like a work song) Needle and the spoon… Needle and the spoon… Needle and the spoon…