Country music’s made up of all these goddamned cliches,
Like ice-cold beer, pickup trucks, and long hot summer days,
But there’s this story about a river, and the lives it takes away.
It don’t matter when you’re in that black water, what your parents got to say.
There’s a darkness in me, and a darkness in you, that binds us to this place.
Facing fear in the back bar mirror at a hole-in-the-wall kind of dive --
The Devil’s in the restless wind, and the storm’s about to break,
Chasing whiskey with a two dollar beer, we’ll ride out the squall alive.
The room starts to spin as the crowd starts to thin - another shot will make it right.
God’s been heard, but the holy word ain't welcome in this place,
Still the band plays on, through thunder outside, in neon and limelight,
But I’m in here till the end, till they start up again, it's your absence I’ll replace.
Country music ain't nothin but a worn out turn of phrase.
But it speaks to me, and it speaks to you, reminds us of better days,
But it ain’t real, and I’m here to feel, so I’m needing it this way,
I’ve bit the bit, to hell with this shit, it's my last chip to raise.
There’s a devil in me, and a devil in you, and a devil in the wind.
Sometimes I see our names on marquees, right above the doors,
But everyone knows why we're at the bar, rolling dice tonight.
Another played out tune bout a motel room where I'm face down on the floor.
Country music's made up of all these goddamned cliches,
Of stale beers, too many years in broke-down Chevrolets.
But take me down to the river, and the lives it takes away
It don’t matter when I'm in that black water, what the future’s got to say.
credits
from NADALAND,
released May 10, 2020
Hans Friedel and Nathaniel Earl
After the Storms is the spiritual successor and continuation of the Austin-based, alt-country collaboration the Storms. The
songwriting duo of Nathaniel Earl (Vocals, Guitar, Piano) and Hans Friedel (Guitar, Vocals) were Storms founding members and songwriters....more
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