The Sinner (Demo)

Oh, down in old El Paso boys
To my jail cell I was brung
My crime, it was a-homicide
And I was sentenced to be hung

One night before that rope would be
Hung around my head
The preacher man came up to me
And this is what I said"Mister, won't you take me
To the good old Rio Grande
Won't you save a poor sinner's soul
Come take me by the hand

My soul, sir, it is aching
My heart weighs down on me
Come take me down, just out of town
And let me make my final plea"

Now the preacher sat and pondered
And soon he had agreed"I'll take you down to the river boy
And I'll help your soul be free

For I've seen too many scoundrels
All clouded by their lies
Their sinful retributions
Flash before my very eyes""So I'll gladly take you
To the good old Rio Grande
Cause you made a deal with the devil boy
And I'll take you by the hand

I'll take you to the water
And you'll say a prayer with me
Then I'll console your tortured soul
As you make your final plea"

Down southwards to old Mexico
On the railways we did ride
Everyone was watching us
But I took it in my stride

When we finally got there
And as I ate my meal
The preacher man turned back to me
And said"Tell me about your deal""Now that I have taken you
To the good old Rio Grande
Tell me about that deal you made
When you shook the devil's hand

Then I'll take you to the water
And you'll say a prayer with me
Then I'll console your tortured soul
As you make your final plea""Oh, stuck up in those mountain togs
And split up from my friend
My horse it had a sudden drop
And I thought it was the end"

But that man in suit came up to me
And said"Boy, I've got a game""I'll give you everlasting life
If a couple souls you claim""Take all of them down, boy
To the good old Rio Grande
I'll save your life, there'll be no more strife
Just take me by the hand

How about this new career
And your new demonic goal
For that you'll need ten lives per year
Or else I'll take your soul"

Now the preacher man said, horrified
For he knew what I had done
So he reached down to his holstered hip
And shot me six times with his gun

He tried to plead for mercy
He even prayed and said amen
But he knew his life was over
When I leaned in and whispered ten

Lord, why did I take him
To the good old Rio Grande
I let myself get tricked by that
Thieving, sinning man

Now I must pay the price, as I enter my eternal bed
I never should have tried to save the life
Of the one who's already dead