In life I was the drunk of the town When world got around It was hardly the end of me Once I tried to forget all my sins The priest took me in And I made a new enemy And I had my chances But I wasted, wasted them all And I took my talents And I spent them on people I wronged At night the city gets so very lonely It's hard to find reasons with no wife and kids For poets are pondering life without love I made it all up for myself with a bottle of gin But I had my friendships And I loved them after they'd gone
And I had my daydreams On the inside, a beautiful song They took my paintings off the walls For twenty dollars sold them all away I crossed my heart and hoped to die My name won't make them laugh or cry today So should you die before your wake Don't expect the lord to take you The Catholics nearly had a cow When I was laid in holy ground Oh is there spirit in the sound Of life succumbing, bodies breaking down Take note you prudent, pious souls Honor comes before you know In the blessing of the stone