[Intro]
Kids laugh in the dark
Skipping rope in the dust
Count to ten, count to ten
Then it’s us
[Verse 1]
Mud on my boots
Rust on my ring
Bible on the dashboard
Barbed wire string
I buried my sins
Out past the pumpjack road
But they crawl, they claw
They know the code
Empty church, door swinging slow
Cross on the wall starts dripping low
Grandma said, “Boy, don’t dig too deep”
Now the bones in the well
Sing me to sleep (shh)
[Chorus]
Bucket of blood on the back porch rail
One more scream in the autumn hail
Kids in the corn keep calling my name
Echo that echo, don’t sound the same
Bucket of blood and a cracked gold tooth
Who gonna testify, who tell truth?
If you hear feet on the old pine floor
You don’t open that door
You don’t open that door
[Verse 2]
She hums through her teeth
Sharp little hymn
Lipstick red
Like a slaughterhouse grin
Dress white, draggin’
Through the black wet clay
Every step, every step
Tracks my way
Mama said, “Girl, don’t look that far”
Now I see faces in the truck stop bar
Whispers in the jukebox, pickin’ my song
Every line, every rhyme
Dead all along (hey)
[Chorus]
Bucket of blood on the back porch rail
One more scream in the autumn hail
Kids in the corn keep calling my name
Echo that echo, don’t sound the same
Bucket of blood and a cracked gold tooth
Who gonna testify, who tell truth?
If you hear feet on the old pine floor
You don’t open that door
You don’t open that door
[Bridge]
[Children echoing softly: “bucket of blood… bucket of blood…”]
Count to five
You can smell that rain
Count to six
Hear the gravel complain
Count to seven
Feel a cold small hand
Count to eight
And you ain’t gonna stand (woah)
Nine, ten
They’re back again
[Chorus]
Bucket of blood on the back porch rail
One more scream in the autumn hail
Kids in the corn keep calling my name
Echo that echo, don’t sound the same
Bucket of blood and a cracked gold tooth
Who gonna testify, who tell truth?
If you hear feet on the old pine floor
You don’t open that door
You don’t open that door