Lone Elm Road

Out on the Lone Elm Road at the end of my rope
When the trigger man was comin' on through
He said, "I'll give you a hand if you think you can stand
To pay me when the course is through
If you're the type who believes in much more than he sees
Well then, fella, I'm the man for you
But at the end of the line, I will get what is mine
Yeah, 'cause papa don't suffer no fools"

You know what they say, every dog has his day
I believe mine might be comin' too
Though one look in his eyes, and I knew well that I
Might be damned if I don't or I do
They say that in life every man has his price
And the devil must get his due
He said, "You look like a gambler, so don't play it dumb
Man, 'cause papa don't suffer no fools"

A falcon screams on Lone Elm Road
Tears placid thoughts from my mind
Spreadin' wings so tautly straight
He doles a weepin' cry
The grackle in the dead of night
A raven in the moon
Their words are spoken in the dark
They tell me death comes soon

He gave me a line and though try as I might
I didn't once see the whites of his eyes
He said, "Men give and men take, but I play games with fate
Boy, you think you might give it a try?"
He promised me riches, no more diggin' ditches
By the side of that Lone Elm Road
And all that he asked was when my life was passed
That I pay him much more than I owed

Well, the thought of king piney hadn't once crossed my mind
Since that night so many years before
'Til there came a concussion of anger commotion
To beat down against the front door
The trigger man said with his gun to my head
"Boy, your time's come and I'm comin' for you"
So out back I was diggin' my grave
He was singin' 'bout how papa don't suffer no fools

A falcon screams on Lone Elm Road
For your end and for mine
When I put prey within the grass
His claws will shear in time
The grackle in the dead of night
A raven in the moon
The trigger man carved up a stone just for me
Said, "The devil must get his due
The devil must get his due
Yeah, and the devil must get his due
Oh, and papa don't suffer no fools"