[Verse 1]
Bare feet on this warped old board
Cicadas sing
Sun burns low
Sheriff rides by
Eyes straight ahead
But mine stay down on these toes
[Verse 2]
Colored side of that cotton town
One rusty pump for us all
Mama scrubbed white shirts for pennies
Still got turned from the whites-only stall
[Chorus]
Delta man
Hands stained red
From dirt
From liquor
From the things I said
Can’t wash off what the world done brand
So I drink with the devil and I shake his hand
[Verse 3]
Jim Crow sign on that café door
Like a finger in my face
I played my tune out on the sidewalk
They laughed and locked up the plates
[Verse 4]
Found a brown jug down in the weeds
Started sippin’ just to stay warm
Next thing
I’m talkin’ to shadows
Hearin’ deals in the thunderstorm
[Chorus]
[Bridge]
He said
“Boy
Your pain gonna pour like rain
Let me tune that hurt in your chest”
Took my name
Left this old guitar
Said
“Play what they fear
I’ll handle the rest” [low vocal register]
[Verse 5]
Now I wake up in stranger beds
Floorboards spinning ‘round my head
Every song I play hits harder
But I can’t remember what I just said
[Verse 6]
See that crossroad down by the cane
I walk past with my eyes shut tight
Wonder if I crossed it already
Or if I’m still choosin’ every night
[Chorus]