[Verse 1: Keith Buckley]
I tied the devil to the tracks
(Can you hear the train coming?)
I served him papers with a seal from the governor
The spoiler throwing voices, the vapors that they built this city on
But he don't write much for me anymore

[Verse 2: Keith Buckley & Dallas Green]
When we keep hell in our hearts
We make no excuse for our genius
So what's my excuse now that hell has abandoned me?
I enticed the devil out with a bottle
But maybe it was he who lured me out instead
When we slept in penitent beds
We awoke in the loving arms of attrition
So what's my excuse now that hell isn't courting me?

[Chorus: Keith Buckley]
Give me the strength to be widowed
Now that the honeymoon's over
Grant me the privileges saved for the sailors
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
[Bridge: Dallas Green & Keith Buckley]
I marched across the muddied stream
Illuminated from beneath
The lock was picked with the church's key we found on the belt of the veteran
To open bar tabs in the taverns assembled in levels by the damned and fanatic for me
We never loved ourselves so well
As when we lusted after another
We hummed along to electric guitars and the standard "whoa oh oh oh's"
And we drank each other under the covers

[Verse 3: Keith Buckley & Dallas Green]
I eased the devil back with the throttle
'Cause I'd rather live my life in regret than not take part in it
If the devil don't mind, well, it's alright with me
So what do I do when the devil don't notice me?

[Chorus: Keith Buckley]
Give me the strength to be widowed
Now that the honeymoon's over
Grant me the privileges saved for the sailors
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all
Condemned with you all
Goddamn you all

[Bridge: Keith Buckley]
And in my 27th year
I was dragged kicking and screaming into the light
And I looked at God in the face and I said, I said God, I said
I said, "I thought I'd been in Heaven this whole time"
[Outro: Keith Buckley]
I tied the devil to the tracks
Can you hear the train coming?
And I tied the tracks in a lover's knot around the finger of a beautiful girl
I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell if hell will have me
I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell
I'll keep hell if hell will have me