Album: The Firstborn Is Dead (1985)
Play Video
  • Looka yonder
    Looka yonder
    Looka yonder
    A big black cloud come
    A big black cloud come
    Oh, comes to Tupelo
    Comes to Tupelo

    Yonder on the horizon
    Yonder on the horizon
    Stopped at the mighty river
    Stopped at the mighty river and
    Sucked the damn thing dry
    Sucked the damn thing dry
    Tupelo
    Oh, Tupelo
    In a valley hides a town called Tupelo

    Well, distant thunder rumble
    Distant thunder rumble
    Rumble hungry like the Beast
    The Beast it cometh, cometh down
    The Beast it cometh, cometh down
    The Beast it cometh, cometh down
    Whoa, whoa, whoa
    Tupelo bound
    Tupelo
    Yeah, oh, Tupelo
    The Beast it cometh, Tupelo bound

    Why the hen won't lay no egg
    Can't get that cock to crow
    The nag is spooked and crazy
    Oh God, help Tupelo
    Oh God, help Tupelo
    Oh God, help Tupelo
    Oh God, help Tupelo

    Ya can say these streets are rivers
    Ya can call these rivers streets
    Ya can tell ya self your dreaming buddy
    But no sleep runs this deep
    No, no sleep runs this deep
    No, no sleep runs this deep
    Women at their windows
    Rain crashing on the pane
    Writing in the frost
    Tupelo's shame
    Tupelo's shame
    Tupelo's shame
    Tupelo's shame
    Oh God, help Tupelo
    Oh God, help Tupelo
    Oh God, help Tupelo
    Oh God, help Tupelo

    Oh, go to sleep little children
    The sandman's on his way
    Oh, go to sleep little children
    The sandman's on his way
    But the little children know
    But the little children know
    They listen to the beating of their blood
    Listen to the beating of their blood
    Listen to the beating of their blood
    Listen to the beating of their blood
    Sandman's mud
    The sandman's mud
    The sandman's mud
    The sandman's mud
    And black rain come down
    The black rain come down
    The black rain come down
    Oh, water, water everywhere
    Water, water everywhere
    Where no bird can fly, no fish can swim
    No bird can fly, no fish can swim
    No fish can swim
    Until The King is born
    Until The King is born (Tupelo)
    In Tupelo
    'Til The King is born in Tupelo

    In a clap-board shack with a roof of tin
    Where the rain crashed down and leaked within
    A young mother frozen on a concrete floor
    And a bottle, and a box, and a cradle of straw
    Tupelo
    Oh, Tupelo
    And a bottle, and a box, and a cradle of straw

    Well Saturday gives what Sunday steals
    And a child is born on his brothers heels
    Sunday morn and the first-born dead
    In a shoebox tied with a ribbon of red
    Tupelo
    Oh, Tupelo
    In a shoebox buried with a ribbon of red

    Oh mama rock you little one slow
    Mama rock your baby
    Mama rock your little one slow
    God help Tupelo
    God help Tupelo
    Mama rock your little one slow
    Mama rock your little one slow
    The little one will walk on Tupelo
    The little one will walk on Tupelo
    Black rain come down
    Black rain come down
    Twenty years of litter and a burner phone
    Years of litter and a burner phone
    What does Nirvana do?
    Ripped up, buried, and given away
    And the King will walk on Tupelo
    The King will walk on Tupelo
    And carry the burden of Tupelo (Tupelo)
    And carry the burden of Tupelo
    And carry the burden of Tupelo
    Yeah, carry the burden of Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Oh, Tupelo
    Yeah, The King will walk on Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Tupelo, Tupelo
    Yeah, The King will walk on Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Oh, Tupelo
    Oh, Tupelo
    Yeah, The King will walk on Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Yeah, oh, Tupelo
    He carried the burden of Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Yeah, yeah Tupelo
    He carried the burden of Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Hey, hey, hey Tupelo
    He carried the burden of Tupelo
    Tupelo
    Yeah, yeah, yeah Tupelo
    You will reap just what you sow
    Oh, oh, yeah
    Oh, Tupelo Writer/s: Barry Adamson, Michael Harvey, Nicholas Cave
    Publisher: BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Randy Newman

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Ralph Casale  - Session Pro

Ralph Casale - Session ProSongwriter Interviews

A top New York studio musician, Ralph played guitar on many '60s hits, including "Lightnin' Strikes," "A Lover's Concerto" and "I Am A Rock."

Gary Louris of The Jayhawks

Gary Louris of The JayhawksSongwriter Interviews

The Jayhawks' song "Big Star" has special meaning to Gary, who explains how longevity and inspiration have trumped adulation.

Tim McIlrath of Rise Against

Tim McIlrath of Rise AgainstSongwriter Interviews

Rise Against frontman Tim McIlrath explains the meanings behind some of their biggest songs and names the sci-fi books that have influenced him.

Is That Song Public Domain?

Is That Song Public Domain?Fact or Fiction

Are classic songs like "Over The Rainbow" and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" in the public domain?

George Harrison

George HarrisonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really steal George's wife? What's the George Harrison-Monty Python connection? Set the record straight with our Fact or Fiction quiz.