Jesse Malin - You Know It's Dark When Atheists Start to Pray lyrics

Joey was a man from the other side Came across the sea for a better life When he got close they made him change his name Push along a cart through the market place Keep it in your heart when you're getting spades But that was so many years ago I lived in many places, I've fallen out of graces I tried to feed the fire for so long Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way A Nietzsche mustache and a peasant's hat Five hungry kids in a water flat Maybe I'll make a little more today A new world dream and some old school pride He couldn't make a meet so he took his life I saw a photograph and made memories in my mind I've fallen out of graces, I've ran so many races I tried to breathe the fire for so long Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way Well he was on the blacklist in '53 And he talked about the conspiracy He said the next war is gonna blow us all away I played in churches and I prayed in bars A young kid with a sad guitar To get close I had to go far away Well I became a drifter Sent postcards to my sister And I can hear her smile even when I'm far away Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way Well I drank with kings and danced with who*es On mountain tops and distant shores But you made me feel like someone I wished to be I tried to wear my father's clothes I planted seeds that didn't grow With a handful of thorns I thought that I was free Worked in a bank, drove a diesel van Even Sonny Wortzik had a plan Do your time and get out of society Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way Now you're sitting in an office, you've never seen the world Gonna blame it on the government or a girl But there's somewhere else you know you'd rather be Scratching off the numbers in a liquor store Dreaming of picking up a '44 Tell me more about your fantasy Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way From Spanish Harlem to Ditmas Park A lonely game of court and spark I wrote a song, I figured it's the only way While the girls from school all married stiffs WIth a flat screen and couple kids And they say a prayer in their own little way Well a friend of mine became a priest And we lost another in the Middle East Well, you know it's dark when atheists start to pray Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way Boxes in the corner neatly stacked Parts of me, paper and wax For a headline day to ride in that Cadillac And when it's over and I've had my fill They're gonna put my body up on Cypress Hill Near Houdini for the final disappearing act Hey man, where you going Up town the river's rolling The sun comes, I'll be on my way Hey man, whatcha doing All along the road to ruin You know it's dark when Atheists start to pray From the fox holes to the quarter Got your mojo workin' Or whatever you believe in, all your voodoo Well, the river runs deep and the river runs wide