When the blackhawk steals the sparrows life
And evening fades under fascist skies
I’ll hold you close and dry your eyes
As the tides role in on
The sands of time
When the heat leaves your blood
And the newscast makes your heart sigh
Eyes glowin’ like the wrath of God
That you can see with your naked eye
Sands are red and hope untied
Set adrift in those Arab skies
I hate to see those children die
The heartland weeps and a mother cries
The sands of time, the sands of time
Fall upon a wicked vine
Walls close in, the walls close in
Upon the sands of that wicked crime
A mans a man, blood and skin
Where we go is where we been
A blind man stumbles, we cannot win
As Adam’s sons we all have sinned
Put down your rocks and bend again
Yours swords to plowshares to fit your hands
A heart of earth for that one of tin
Sowing peace in your fading sands
The sands of time, the sands of time
Fall upon a wicked vine
Walls close in, the walls close in
Upon the sands of that wicked crime

Melancholy keys in minor chord and tones
Were once so unfamiliar but I learned them all by rote
From the day we met when I first heard your voice
You stole the joy from in between the notes
You came in without warning with mournful kinds of tunes
I gave you all my love songs you gave me all your blues
By the second chorus you captured my heart
When we both knew you’d break it from the start
Sad songs make me cry
Your voice sings them soft
I begged you don’t flood my eyes
That was your plan all along
You left me by the bridge and you left me to my own
Devices and what’s worse is my vices are the songs
You robbed them of all comfort now sorrowful melody
Is all the love you’ll ever sing to me
Sad songs make me cry
Your voice breaks my heart
I begged you don’t flood my eyes
But that was your plan form the start
Sad songs make me cry
Some days I still sing those songs
I begged you don’t flood my eyes
But that was your plan all along

I wish I knew what to make of you
And what direction to take you
‘Cause it’s back and forth and it’s South and North
And where it’s due I wish I only knew
I know some things I shouldn’t
And I do some things I wouldn’t
Want you to know, lest my real self show
And how it goes only God knows
Well you gotta do your time
While I gotta walk the line
You say I display God’s grace
Well you’re forcing me to grow up at a faster pace
It’s hard enough to keep you from tearin’ my world apart
Why you gotta mess with my heart
Maybe someday we’ll be one
Maybe someday won’t come
But life is life and love is love
And damned if I don’t take ‘em both and run
Well you gotta do your time
While I gotta walk the line
You say I display God’s grace
Well you’re forcing me to grow up at a faster pace
It’s hard enough to keep you from tearin’ my world apart
Why you gotta mess with my heart