Crooked

I wrote this last April. I knew the first time that
I sang it, it was a contender to become the title
track of my next record.

There's a church at the bend in the river
Sundays, the people there sing
Songs they've been singing forever
The cross and the blood and the King
They sing to be rid of their Satan
To open wide all heaven's doors
But the bend in the river won't straighten
Crooked's the natural course

There's a dark house the sun doesn't enter
A place where the light’s not allowed
There's a shadow that tightens your center
And sets you apart from the crowd
Old spirits come for you later
They press and apply quite a force
Believing they'll help you go straighter
Crooked's the natural course

Blue sky is never a favour
When no water’s left in the well
Some use the Lord as a lever
Some say we're going to hell
So many kids pass through the gate here
From the poverty shacks to the wars
A lie is the only thing straight here
Crooked's the natural course

There's a church at the bend in the river
On Sundays the people there sing
Songs they've been singing forever
The cross and the blood and the King
They sing to be rid of their Satan
To pry open all heaven's doors
The bend in the river won't straighten
Crooked's the natural course
Crooked’s the natural course

DL

copyright by Doug Lang (SOCAN)