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Good Evening, Reverend

from Unravelled Tales - Volume 2 by Sam Steffen

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lyrics

Good evening, Reverend—I see you’ve kept your promise, then
You said you’d visit me—right up until the very end
I hope you haven’t come to try once more to save my soul
At dawn’s awakening, I’ll be swinging from the gallowspole

Don’t ask me how I am, if you were me, how would you feel?
Born on the bottom rung to be blotted out by fortune’s wheel
I’s never counted-on, or expected to amount to much
If I’m recalled at all, it’ll be as a no good such-and-such

I never met the girl—her name, I’m told, was Jennifer
Blessed with gorgeous looks, and fine, upstanding character
About her qualities, I’ve heard countless people testify
They called her “innocent”, and say “the innocent don’t deserve to die!”

She told her parents, she and her friends were going out that night
She told those friends of hers, she was going to meet a boy she liked
She told the boy she liked, there was some pressing thing that needed done
They all expected her; she didn’t show for none of em

They found her ravaged corpse discarded in a park nearby
Police found me there, too, drunk, without an alibi
She had been drunk as well, and this, they said, was evidence
The truth, however, is, it only was coincidence

I couldn’t pay the bail; a lawyer, they appointed me
He couldn’t pronounce my name, but in his defense, he worked for free
They offered me a deal, said “Confess, and you’ll serve seventy”
But I refused to lie; they gave me the death penalty

I read your bible through; in here, Lord knows, I’ve had the time
I paid attention, close, to the passages that you underlined
I recognized myself when they imprisoned Joseph wrongfully
And in Job’s lonesome wail, I found I’s in good company

The thing I didn’t get is where it says that Jesus died for me,
if that’s the case, then, I’d like the guard to set me free
I know he won’t, though, tho he can quote the scripture, too
he says, “When God made his plans—tell me, sinner, where were you?”

And you know what the worst part is? The climax of this tragedy—
That poor girl that was killed—her murderer’s still walking free
Perhaps he’ll kill again—I’ve prayed for him to, more than once
So that my death, if not my life, would be counted with the innocents

I know I have to die, it’s something everyone must do
There ain’t a man alive who isn’t only passing through
The only difference, though, is that my appointment’s registered
On the warden’s calendar, 8:00a.m., October 3rd

Don’t feel you have to talk, I can see you’d like to comfort me
To practice what you’ve learned in your school of the divinities
If all the plans are laid, then what’s the sense in groveling?
If you’d like to help me now, you can do the following:

Tell my doctor there’s no need to send more medicine
Tell my debtors that I already have forgiven them
Tell my disciples my death is no martyrdom
Tell my country I wish I could have been its citizen

Remind the Christians that Jesus was an only son
Ask the judges to consider where their power’s from
Tell my story often, and when you do, please say “unless something’s done
That this man’s tragic fate could be the same for you or anyone”

Tell your followers if they want to win they’ll have to fight
Tell the lawyers—calling it their job won’t make it right
Tell your escort when you leave to please turn off the light—
Good evening, reverend—I hope you will sleep well tonight

credits

from Unravelled Tales - Volume 2, released July 24, 2021

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Sam Steffen Boise, Idaho

Sam Steffen is a Pennsylvania-bred, Boise-based singer-songwriter whose songs are the torch-wood for a new generation of folk music that has learned from the best stuff in the tradition and aims in spite of everything to keep the human spirit alive and kicking. A versatile musician and skilled finger-picker, Sam is at heart a story-teller, and a prolific one. ... more

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