Sacred and Profane

Learned to play piano, in church – a tin roofed shack,
I played boogie-woogie when the preacher turned his back,
From sun up through to twilight, testified at the river,
But in the night I’d shun the light, exercise my liver.

Pulled to the sacred, torn to the profane,
From swimming pool to gutter, heading for the drain,
Well I’ve been down and I’ve been up, I’ll be down again,
And I’ll be pulled to the sacred, torn to the profane.

Went to Baptist college but then they got kinda sore,
Tried out for the Hayride and sold stuff from door to door,
The Lord gave me a talent, the Devil a record deal,
Went from the choir down to hellfire, in my automobile.

I played the fool and stole the show, all across the land,
Burned up my piano and fired bullets at the band.

It’s when you think you have it all the Devil seeks redress,
It broke my heart, pulled it apart, then threw it to the press,
I turned to country music but then I stil had to rock,
In any lonely roadhouse of wood and cinder block.

I tore it up on pills and booze, now I ain’t in my prime,
I’ve paid the price now shake the dice, and roll ‘em one more time.