[Instrumental, 4 bars only - no more, Dry acoustic guitar, mournful resonator slide guitar, distant dirty Telecaster, Sparse, dusty atmosphere] [Verse 1] He rolled into church in his Escalade Wore a gold cross around his neck Put fifty in the offering plate Shook the Preacher’s hand for effect [Verse 2] He mowed grass for the widows Carried their groceries from the store He rang the bell every Christmas He served hot soup to the poor [Pre-Chorus] He knew the stories in the Bible He quoted scripture with pride He taught a Sunday School class But he never let the Word inside [Chorus] He was eighteen inches from heaven His good deeds all fell short He knew the name of Jesus But never knew Him as Lord He took the bread and the wine He got baptized for all to see He stood right there at the doorway But he refused to bow his knee [Instrumental Turnaround] [Pre-Bridge] He never shed a single tear Never tossed and turned at night He never looked in the mirror He closed his eyes to the light [Full Band Stop] [Bridge] Now he sits at a bar alone Choking that drink in his hand He asks, “How can a good man Still be condemned?” He says, “I walked the aisle Lord, I called out Your name” But he never surrendered He never truly changed [Instrumental Break] [Final Chorus] He was eighteen inches from heaven He carried “Christian” like a name But the devil was laughing Cause he played the church man’s game He knew all the right words But his soul stayed the same Until he cried, Don’t let me die “Eighteen inches away” [Instrumental Outro]
