Hallowed Ground

Violent Femmes Hallowed Ground Lyrics
1.Black Girls

I dig the black girls, oh so much more than the white girls.
I was so pleased to learn they were faster.
C'est, c'est, c'est vous i'm after.

All comes a faggot white boy.
Said look, look, look first kind of joy.
They come around so queer and quiet,
As i rebel and riot.

Shall i dig the white boys?
All so much more that the black boys.
I was so pleased to learn they're not smarter.
Go on, give, give, give it to me harder, harder, harder, just
say harded.

You know i love the lord of hosts,
The father, son, and the holy ghost.
I was so pleased to learn that he's inside me
In my time of trouble he will hide me.

I dig the black girls.
I dig the black girls.
I dig the black girls.
I dig the black girls.

Gordon gano: vocals, guitar
Brian ritchie: electric bass, slide bass, jew's harp, vocals
Victor delorenzo:drums,vocals
John zorn: sax, clarinet peter balestrieri: sax drake scott
cornetto
Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission


2.Country Death Song

I had me a wife, i had me some daughters.
I tried so hard, i never knew still waters.
Nothing to eat and nothing to drink.
Nothing for a man to do but sit around and think.
Nothing for a man to do but sit around and think.

Well, i'm a thinkin' and thinkin', till there's nothin' i ain't
thunk.
Breathing in the stink, till finally i stunk.
It was at that time, i swear i lost my mind.
I started making plans to kill my own kind.
I started making plans to kill my own kind.

Come little daughter,' i said to the youngest one,
Put your coat on, we'll have some fun.
We'll go out to mountains, the one to explore.
Her face then lit up, i was standing by the door.
Her face then lit up, i was standing by the door.

Come little daughter, i will carry the lanterns.
We'll go out tonight, we'll go to the caverns.
We'll go out tonight, we'll go to the caves.
Kiss your mother goodnight and remember that god saves.
Kiss your mother goodnight and remember that god saves.

A led her to a hole, a deep black well.
I said 'make a wish, make sure and not tell and
Close you're eyes dear, and count to seven.
You know your papa loves you, good children go to heaven.
You know your papa loves you, good children go to heaven.

I gave her a push, i gave her a shove.
I pushed with all my might, i pushed with all my love.
I through my child into a bottomless pit.
She was screaming as she fell, but i never heard her hit.
She was screaming as she fell, but i never heard her hit.

Gather round boys to this tale that i tell.
You wanna know how to take a short trip to hell?
It's guarenteed to get your own place in hell.
Just take your lovely daughter and push her in the well.
Take your lovely daughter and throw her in the well.

Don't speak to me of lovers, with a broken heart.
You wanna know what can really tear you apart?
I'm going out to the barn, will i never stop in pain?
I'm going out to the barn, to hang myself in shame.

Gordon gano: vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: acoustic bass guitar
Victor delorenzo: drums, vocals
Tony trischka; banjo
Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission


3.Hallowed Ground

'the profit is a fool, the spirtual man is mad,
For the multitude of thine inequity, and the great hatred.'
(hosea 9:7)

Everyone's trying to decide,
Where to go when there's no place to hide.
I follow the bombs as they're coming down.
This must have been hallowed ground.

No matter what they decide to have done.
Burn up the clouds, block out the sun.
My hope is in one they can't bring down.
My soul is in hallowed ground.

I see the fear, it's on the rise.
Let's catch the enemy by surprise.
Burry your treasure where it can't be found.
Burry it deep in hallowed ground.

Gordon gano: vocals, electric guitar
Brian ritchie: electric bass, vocals
Victor delorenzo: drums, vocals

Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission


4.It's Gonna Rain

Transcribed by wes torres
Now who, who, who do you think i am?
Well, i built this ark with japheth, shem, and ham.
Now what, what, what do you think it's gonna do
When i live by faith and now my work is through?

It's gonna rain (it's gonna rain)
I said it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain)
Yes, it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain.)
I'm so happy to say (it's gonna rain)
Oh it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain) on the world today

Now when, when, when i am in doubt
And i think that things for me will never work out,
But where, where, where the heart is true,
Ya know lord, your god, will never forsake you.

It's gonna rain (it's gonna rain)
I said it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain)
Yes, it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain.)
I'm so happy to say (it's gonna rain)
Oh it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain) on the world today

Repeat verse 1 (drums only)

It's gonna rain (it's gonna rain)
I said it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain)
Yes, it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain.)
I'm so happy to say (it's gonna rain)
Oh it's gonna rain (it's gonna rain) on the world today
Forty days and forty nights (it's gonna rain)
Forty days and forty nights (it's gonna rain)
Hallileua, it's alright (it's gonna rain)
Everybody's sleepin' tight (it's gonna rain)
Oh, it's alright, it's alright, it's alright, it's gonna rain
tonight.
Repeat chorus three times


5.I Hear The Rain

I hear the rain. i hear the rain.
I hear the rain.
Got to kill the pain.
I hear the rain. i hear the rain.
I hear the rain.
Got to kill the pain.

Burry me out on a lone prarie.
Prarie water washin' over me.
Burry me out on a lone prarie.
A friend who calls a coyote.

Burry me out in the lone city.
Sewer water color of my tea.
Burry me out in the lone city.
Sewer water wash we all down to sea.

She use to sit and watch and wait.
Now i think i'll go and sit.

Gordon gano: vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, fiddle
Brian ritchie: mariachi bass, marimba, vocals
Victor delorenzo: drums, vocals

Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission


6.I Know It's True But I'm Sorry To Say

I know it's true, but i'm sorry to say
Yesterdays a day away.
Nothing i can do to make it stay like that.
Ain't that a fact.

I know it's true, but i'm sorry to say
I just can't handle things this way.
I know it's late, but i'd like to stay a while, see you smile.

Will you meet me in the morning, with sun fresh on the dew?
Will you meet me in the afternoon, made just for me and you?
Will you meet me in the evening, when the nighttime starts to
crawl?
Will you meet me in the hall?
Will you meet me on the wall?
Will you meet me at all?

One more time, one more time.
Shaking up and down my spine.
Jump a rope or skip a line or two.
What can i do?

One more time, one more time.
Color flashing neon signs.
Advertising a friend of my distraction, latest attraction.

Oh my body has been punished.
Lord, i think i've had enough.
Oh my body has been punished
With too much and not enough.
Oh my body has been punished
And my mind can no longer bluff.
My mind is so unkind, my mind is so unkind.
It keeps me crying all the time.

I know it's true, but i'm sorry to say
Yesterdays a day away.

Gordon gano: guitar, lead vocal
Brian ritchie: bass ,celeste
Victor delorenzo: drums,vocals
Mark van hecke: organ

Engineers: glen l. loribecki and john tanner
Recorded at castle recording company, lake geneva, wi, july 1982
Produced by mark van hecke

?gorno music reprinted with permission


7.Jesus Walking On The Water

Oh my, oh my, oh my, what if it was true?
And oh my, oh my, oh my, tell me is it true.
Did he, did he, did he die upon that cross?
And did he, did he, did he come back across?

Chorus:

Jesus walking on the water.
Sweet jesus walking in the sky.
Sinking sand, took my hand, raised me up,
And brought me up.
I can hold my head up high.

Will i, will i, will i be true to my birth?
And will i, will i, will i give what i'm worth?
Oh yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, i come when you call,
And yes sir, yes sir, yes sir, sweet jesus, my all-in-all.

Gordon gano: vocals, acoustic guitar, fiddle
Brian ritchie: mariachi bass
Victor delorenzo: drums, vocals
Peter balestrieri and cynthia gano; vocals

Christina houghton; autoharp

Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission


8.Never Tell

Hey sister, have you heard?
Some people stand like trees, without a word
And what that means is that some people don't talk.

Oh please pardon me mister.
Ya know i just didn't hear you the first time that you said
that,
But now that you repeat for me, i'll be sure to do what i can.
Ya know i'm going to do what i can,
Do what i can, do, do, do, do what i can.
Gonna do what i can,
Do what i can, do, do, do, do what i can,
But no more, you understand?

Oh please pardon me father.
Ya know i just didn't hear you that, that, that
That first time that you said th...
Help me, help me, help me, help me...
Repeat it, repeat it, repeat it.
I'll be sure do, do, do what i can.
Do what i can, do what i can, do, do, do, do what i can.
Gotta do what i can, do what i can, do, do, do, do what i can,
But no more, you understand?

It's of utmost importance, we're dealing with volitiale
substance. (4 times)

I had so much on my mind.
I was so glad when i died, oh...

Listen to me baby.
Can you keep a secret for me?
Make sure no one finds out,
Cause then the lights will go out,
And i will find you out,
And i will cut you up.
Uh hmm, don't ask me why,
Because, i said, i said, i said
I'm gonna do what i can, do what i can, do, do, do, do what i
can.
Gotta do what i can, do what i can, do, do, do, do what i can.
(3 times)
But i'll have none of that, you understand?

Don't you know nothin'? you never tell on someone. (3 times)
Don't you know nothin'? you ain't never going to tell on
someone.

What you going to do?
Gonna turn, gonna turn rat fink?
What you wanna do?
Do want to see, do you wanna see what it's like to sink?
Sink down, sink down, sink down, down, down to the bottom of the
river.
Sink down, sink, sink down down.
Down, down, to the bottom of the river, sink, down sink.
Sink down, down. down, down to bottom of the river.
Sink down, sink, sink down down.
Down, down to the bottom of the river.

Don't you know no one? you never tell on someone. (3 times)
Don't you know no one? you ain't never gonna tell on someone. (3
times)

Ah, ah, oh, i tell you what it's like, i tell you what it's
like, oh.
I stood right up in the heart of hell, i never tell. (3 times)
I stood right up in the heart of hell,
I'm never gonna tell, tell, tell, tell.
I'm never, never, never, never gonna tell, tell, tell, tell.
Nothing, nothing, never gonna tell, tell, tell, tell.
I'm never, never, never, never gonna tell, tell, tell, tell.
Nothing, nothing, never gonna tell, tell, tell, tell.
Ah...

Gordon gano: vocals, electric guitar
Brian ritchie: electric bass,vocals
Victor delorenzo: drums,vocals

Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission


9.Sweet Misery Blues

Yeah, i saw you coming down the street.
I could tell by your look that you didn't want to meet.
So this time, i went away, but next time,
I'm just gonna have to say,
Can i buy you a dress or something?
Could i buy you some drewery or something?
Would you go out with me or something?
Would you sleep with me or something?'

Better watch out, if you're train is moving to fast.
You better look out, if you're living in the past
Because that's why you'll never lose these sweet misery blues.
That's why you'll never lose these sweet misery blues.

Yeah, i'm gonna corner you in an elevator
And then you won't be able to put me off till later.
I'll put on my charm and i'll tingle your spine.
I'll take off my charm and then you'll wanna die.
Could i buy you a dress or something?
Could i buy you some drewery or something?
Would you go out with me or something?
Would you sleep with me or something?'

You better watch out, cause you can't get rid of me.
You better look out, now babe don't you see?
That's why you'll never lose these sweet misery blues. (2 times)

Gordon gano: vocals, acoustic guitar
Brian ritchie: mariachi bass, vocals
Victor delorenzo: trancephone, vocals
Drake scott:sakbut john tanner; clarinet

S
Produced by mark van hecke
Recorded at secret sound studio, new york city

?gorno music reprinted with permission