Lyrics to SONGS FROM THE BACK OF THE CHURCH

Lyrics from the Album by Hugh Moffatt
www.hughmoffatt.com

 


Hard To Be Human
by Hugh Moffatt

Jesus, I wonder about you
What can you be thinking sometimes
Trying to show us our freedom
When all that we want’s a free ride
Lord, don’t it make you feel helpless
I’m sure that sometimes you get mad
Knowing we ain’t all you hoped for
Knowing we’re all that you have

God, but it’s hard to be human
And know that I really am free
Oh, I know I will get what I want, Lord
I just hope that I want what I need

Your father was smarter than you are
He never gave us a chance
To undo the things that he worked for
He held the reins tight in his hands
A tower of smoke in the morning
A pillar of fire every night
He kept a close watch on his children
He made sure that we got it right

God, but it’s hard to be human
And know that I really am free
Oh, I know I will get what I want, Lord
I just hope that I want what I need

Now I have these impossible problems
And I’m wondering what I should do
I know you ain’t gonna help me
Still I can’t help loving you
Somehow I know that you love me
And somehow that’s always enough
So once more I’ll shoulder my freedom
And hope that I don’t screw it up

God, but it’s hard to be human
And know that I really am free
Oh, I know I will get what I want, Lord
I just hope that I want what I need

© 1988 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


Jesus, Take Me Fishing
by Richard Dobson

People talk about you, Lord
They claim you're gonna set 'em free
I kind of like you, Jesus
You're a special guy to me
Two thousand years ain’t much time
When you're living in eternity
They say that you're gonna come again
For all the world to see

Well, if you think you'd like to make it back
The choice is up to you
If we ever get the chance
Tell you what I'd like to do
We'll pick up a jug of wine
Old St. Peter, too
We'll take off and go fishing, Lord
Some lazy afternoon

Jesus, won't you take me fishing
Down by the Sea of Galilee
We'll laugh and pass the jug around
Just as easy as you please
I guess I'd like to go to heaven, Lord
Freedom means a lot to me
Jesus, won't you take me fishing
Down by the Sea of Galilee

Don't you think that we could have a time
Underneath an old shade tree
With an old cane pole and a can of worms
Just laid back naturally
Drinking wine, passing time
Peter, you and me
Jesus, won't you take me fishing
Down by the Sea of Galilee

Jesus, won't you take me fishing
Down by the Sea of Galilee
We'll laugh and pass the jug around
Just as easy as you please
I guess I'd like to go to heaven, Lord
Freedom means a lot to me
Jesus, won't you take me fishing
Down by the Sea of Galilee

© 2002 Salty Songs BMI
 


Christmas in the Saddle
by Hugh Moffatt

It’s nearly Christmas morning, and I am far from home
Out here in the saddle riding night watch all alone
Except for short horn cattle and my old ornery mount
The others all are sleeping now, so they don’t really count

It’s Christmas in the saddle, and far as I can see
There’s miles and miles of prairie and not one Christmas tree
But there’s at least a million stars, bright as they can be
I guess Christmas in the saddle is good enough for me

I hear the cattle lowing and pawing in the snow
I think of that old carol I learned so long ago
About the angels singing in peaceful harmony
To comfort shepherds in their fields watching just like me

It’s Christmas in the saddle, and far as I can see
There’s miles and miles of prairie and not one Christmas tree
But there’s at least a million stars, bright as they can be
I guess Christmas in the saddle is good enough for me

© 1991 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


Angels
by Hugh Moffatt

When I go to sleep at night
An angel holds my hand
When the big world makes me cry
An angel understands

When I'm tired of being good
And I don't do what I should
Angels whisper "It's alright,
Just do the best you can"

When the sun is shining bright
When everything is fine
Angels all are out of sight
On vacation till the next time

Maybe mama yells at me
And tears begin to flow
There's my angel suddenly
Helping me to know

Love for every living thing
Comes to us on angel wings
Comes from heaven just for me
So I won't be alone

Love for every living thing
Comes to us on angel wings
Comes from heaven just for me
So I won't be alone

Angels come to care for me
So I won't be alone

© 1992 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


Sometimes Heaven
by Hugh Moffatt

Jesus, come on in, won't you sit a spell
Would you like a little something to take away the chill?
No? Well I think I'll partake if you don't mind
I still like a little whiskey from time to time

You say you been out talking, well, I knew that
You was never one to keep your thoughts underneath your hat
Me? I'm OK, yeah, doing pretty well
It's just sometimes heaven and sometimes hell

Since you ask, there's something, yes, a little odd
Did you know I spent this morning in a house of God?
Was a preacher preaching what we should and shouldn't do
At least every other word he mentioned you

Man, it was strange to hear the ways he used your name
Saying things that I ain’t never heard you say
I started getting angry, ah, you know me well
I'm just sometimes heaven and sometimes hell

I didn't mean to cause a scene but there he was
Invoking you and scaring kids when he talked of love
I’ve been known for talking rough a time or two
But I'll be damned, if I ever claim that it came from you

So I stood up and asked him how he knew it was you
He said he just knew, well, I just knew it wasn't true
So I called him a liar and left, it didn't go over well
I guess preaching's sometimes heaven and sometimes hell

I was told that after that things settled down
He said those that left was going to hell, and folks stuck around
Ain’t it funny what we'll put up with in your name
Any other time, you know, we'd be ashamed

Seems any fool who mentions you can have his way
We'll give him our time, sometimes we'll give him our pay
But a bully's just a bully near as I can tell
And that ain’t never heaven, it's always hell

So, Jesus, thanks for listening, glad you could stay
I'll get myself together here one of these days
Until I do, let me lean on you---I guess you know
You're welcome in here anytime---before you go...

If you run into my brother, John, give him my best
Say I'm still hanging in down here with all the rest
And I know that no one can save me from myself
It's just sometimes heaven and sometimes hell

Lord, not even you can save us from ourselves
Ain’t it sometimes heaven and sometimes hell

© 1992 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


A Father's Prayer
by Hugh Moffatt

Lord, I feel so sad this morning, I don't even want to raise my head
If you gave me just one wish, I almost think I'd wish that I were dead
I hear the baby crying, so I guess if it's the last thing that I do
I'll get up out of bed again, but Lord, the rest is up to you

I still don't have a job, and so today is just another day
Time don't spend like money, it don't matter what other people say
If I were her I'd leave me and find someone who'd treat her like I should
It's OK, Lord, I'm up now, and I feel better than I thought I would

CHORUS:

I'd like to save the children
I'd love to heal this world
But I can't even make a living
For my wife and little girl
And I am not the problem
So what else can I do?
Just keep holding back my anger
Lord, the rest is up to you

Sometimes, Lord, it seems to me, it's just the squeaky wheels that get the grease
I was raised to hold my head up high and live my life in peace
If my best ain’t good enough, you know it's still the best that I can do
Now I'm dressed and out the door, but Lord, the rest is up to you

CHORUS:

I'd like to save the children
I'd love to heal this world
But I can't even make a living
For my wife and little girl
So maybe I'm the problem
But what else can I do?
Just keep holding back my anger
Lord, the rest is up to you

I keep holding back my anger
Lord, the rest is up to you

© 1998 Songs of Lankhmar BMI
 


He Should Have Known
by Tom Benjamin

I heard he walked upon the water
I heard he walked upon the sea
But the doubters cried, “It’s just a trick
An illusion done for kicks
To make believers out of you and me”

I heard he slept with tramps and thieves
He knew their hearts and he knew their needs
But they said if he truly was divine
He wouldn’t hang out with that kind
But I heard he always ran with who he pleased

CHORUS:

He should have known that they would nail him for that
He should have known that they’d be plotting a trap
He should have known that even friends turn their backs
He should have eased up on that son of god rap
And got the hell out of town

I heard he made a lame man walk
Touched him and made a lame man walk
They demanded he come clean
And explain the things they’d seen
They drug him into court but he wouldn’t talk

I heard he made a blind man see
I heard he made a blind man see
But they said it’s all a lie
No one can heal another’s eyes
I heard he only smiled and let it be

CHORUS:

He should have known that they would nail him for that
He should have known that they’d be plotting a trap
He should have known that even friends turn their backs
He should have eased up on that son of god rap
And got the hell out of town

TAG: He should have eased up on that son of god rap...

© 1976 Branch Creek Music, ASCAP
 


The Lord Don't Take No Prisoners
by Hugh Moffatt

I dreamed of Armageddon
To one side I could see
The devil and the Holy Ghost together
And they was discussing me
I walked up to the Spirit
I said, "Now, if you please
If I'm gonna serve your master tell me
What's he gonna do for me”
He said…

"The Lord don't take no prisoners
Jesus don't make no deals
The Lord don't take no prisoners
He just want to set you free”

So I sat down with the Devil
I was looking for a better deal
He said, "I'll give you anything but your freedom
Son, and that you're gonna give to me
I'll give you earthly pleasures
I'll give you wealth and fame
I'll give you what you ask for
But you got to do what I say
Because…

“The Lord don't take no prisoners
Jesus don't make no deals
The Lord don't take no prisoners
He just wants to set you free”

Now, I woke up with a shiver
Lying there in my bed
I swear I heard a whisper say
One day you're gonna wake up dead
If you got to serve one or the other
It's got to be the Lord you see
'Cause the Devil don't give a damn for you
And Jesus want to set you free

The Lord don't take no prisoners
Jesus don't make no deals
The Lord don't take no prisoners
He just want to set you free

The Lord don't take no prisoners
Jesus don't make no deals
The Lord don't take no prisoners
He just want to set you free

© 1990 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


Bottle of Wine
by Tom Paxton

Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine
When you gonna let me get sober
Leave me alone, let me go home
Let me go home and start over

Rambling around this dirty old town
Begging for nickels and dimes
Time’s getting rough, I ain’t got enough
To buy me a bottle of wine

Pain in my head, there’s bugs in my bed
My pants are so old that they shine
Out on the street I tell the people I meet
To buy me a bottle of wine

Bottle of wine, fruit of the vine
When you gonna let me get sober
Leave me alone, let me go home
Let me go home and start over

© 1963 EMI U Catalogue Inc., ASCAP
 


Lean On Jesus
by Mark Germino and Rob Stanley


It was Christmas Eve and snowing
We were sitting at the mission
Most of us were drunk, but some were stoned
We were singing "Won't you give me
Some of that old time religion"
When an old man struck a chorus of his own

So we all shut up to listen
And his words kept getting louder
Singing through teeth that had fallen out and died
And the message lingered on
Long after the song was gone
Pulling at our hearts like grocery counter wine
And he sang...

CHORUS:

Lean, lean on Jesus
Lean on him, he'll help you stumble through
Lean on, lean on Jesus
Lean on him before he leans on you

Then some cowboy lit a joint
Said, "I think he has a point"
Some half dry whiskey bum said, "I'm surprised
‘Cause I’ve seen that man somewhere
He ain’t never said no prayer
Much less a profound statement from the sky
Like...

CHORUS:

Lean, lean on Jesus
Lean on him, he'll help you stumble through
Lean on, lean on Jesus
Lean on him before he leans on you

Now, I'm not one to speculate
Or deal in the unknown
The truth I never really cared to find
But as we sat there puffing
On our Camel cigarettes
I swear his ash burned brighter than mine
That’s when we all started singing...

CHORUS:

Lean, lean on Jesus
Lean on him, he'll help you stumble through
Lean on, lean on Jesus
Lean on him before he leans on you

© 1980 Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, ASCAP
 


The Devil Took the Rest
by Hugh Moffatt

Broke down by the levee way on out on river road
Sarah heard their voices saw them driving by real slow
That's all she remembered, Doc said it would be some time
Before she put together what they left her of her mind
Me and brother Billy waited hoping for the best
Saying, "Lord have mercy on her soul, ‘cause the devil took the rest"

A deputy found those good old boys a little later on that night
There was three of them in a Mercedes Benz and a couple of grams of white
The judge said he could not convict unless Sarah testified
But she never had the ghost of a chance, she took a handful of pills and she died
I begged that judge on bended knee, but he was not impressed
He said, "Lord have mercy on her soul, ‘cause the devil took the rest"

So Billy got his shotgun, I got fifty feet of rope
We found those boys in a house uptown drinking wine and sniffing dope
We took them out to the levee down by a place we all knew well
And we strung them up like poison fruit hanging from the trees of hell
And I heard Billy say as the rope cut into their necks
"Lord have mercy on your souls, ‘cause the devil took the rest"

Next morning we drove back to town down the middle of main street
We loaded their bodies out the back of our truck, and we laid them at the judge’s feet
He said, "Boys, you've done a terrible thing, and you have to understand
We’ve got to make you an example, can't take the law in your own hands"
We just stood and stared at him, we had no regrets
He said, "Lord have mercy on your souls, ‘cause the devil took the rest"

BRIDGE: Now here we stand together again, in the next room waits the chair
The warden and the judge, a preacher and us, and some newsmen starting to stare
Someone asks, "Ain’t you got nothing to say, can you tell us how you feel?"
Me, I look at Billy, and Billy looks at me...

And I say, "Me and my brother Billy, we just took care of our own
I ain’t no judge and jury, but I know when that switch is thrown
Every one of you will be as guilty as us, and one day you'll be just as dead
So you all better hope God is merciful, ‘cause I think he is fair instead
You break God's law in the name of man's, and you call it righteousness
Well, Lord have mercy on your souls, ‘cause the devil took the rest

I said Lord have mercy on your souls, and the devil take the rest”

Broke down by the levee way on out on river road
Sarah heard their voices saw them driving by real slow
That's all she remembered ...

© 1982 Boquillas Canyon Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


Love Me As I Am
Hugh Moffatt

I kneel before you, head bowed on my hands
Knowing you'll hear me, whoever I am
Lord, though I know that you know what I'm worth
And I'm certain it's something that I don't deserve

Love me as I am
Lord, even if no one else can
Somehow I know you understand
Won’t you love me as I am

This time I've tried everything that I know
Still my life keeps spinning out of control
My will is weak, but your love is so strong
If you're with me I know that somehow I'll go on

Love me as I am
Lord, even if no one else can
Somehow I know you understand
Won’t you love me as I am

Maybe someday, Lord, I’ll do like I should
And serve you the way I wish that I could
Instead I am kneeling here worse than I was
My only hope your unconditional love

Love me as I am
Lord, even if no one else can
Somehow I know you understand
Won’t you love me as I am

Lord, won’t you love me as I am

© 1992 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp. BMI
 


Another Road
by Hugh Moffatt

There's another kind of water, another food to eat
Another world around us no human eye can see
Another arm to lean on, another friend to greet
Another road to travel with a different set of feet

Show me, show me, show me that road
I want to walk with you, Lord, forever more

Let me live in that other land I've never seen
With the skies ever blue and the fields ever green
Where when I'm done plowing and planting the seed
The crop never fails, I have all that I need

'Cause here I'm a stranger, no doubt about that
A long way from my home just trying to get back
Like a fish out of water I struggle and gasp
I reach out to you, Lord, and all that I ask
Is...

Show me, show me, show me that road
I want to walk with you, Lord, forever more

Your love is a river and life is a tree
That grows on the bank with its roots running deep
And high in the branches here I'm just a leaf
I need you to catch me, Lord, when I fall free

When the burden of living has taken its toll
When I've shouldered as much as my shoulders'll hold
When I've come to the end of what I thought was enough rope
Won't you be there to meet me, Lord, show me that road

Show me, show me, show me that road
I want to walk with you, Lord, forever more

There's another kind of water, another food to eat
Another world around us no human eye can see
Another arm to lean on, another friend to greet
Another road to travel with a different set of feet


Show me, show me, show me that road
I want to walk with you, Lord, forever more

Show me, show me, show me that road
I want to walk with you, Lord, forever more

Show me, show me, show me that road
I want to walk with you, Lord, forever more

© 1993 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp., BMI
 


Must Jesus Bear The Cross Alone
Traditional

Must Jesus bear the cross alone
While all the world goes free
No, there’s a cross for everyone
And there’s a cross for me

My lord, he wears a golden crown
For all the world to see
Oh, there’s a crown for everyone
And there’s a crown for me

 


This Little Light of Mine
Traditional
(Verse by Hugh Moffatt)

This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Gonna let my little light shine

On Monday and Tuesday
I’m gonna let it shine
Wednesday and Thursday
I’m gonna let it shine
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Gonna let my little light shine


This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine
I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Let it shine
Gonna let my little light shine

 


BONUS SONG (on video only):

Light a Candle
by Hugh Moffatt and John Peppard

Somebody’s crying and no one hears
Scared of dying and no one’s near
Somebody’s losing hope
While the wheels of power keep turning

Light a candle in the darkness
Shine a light where evil lies
Be a voice for those in silence
Speak the truth – keep hope alive
Light a candle

Somebody’s trying to stop the tears
Not giving in to threats and fears
Somebody’s choosing hope
While the wheels of power keep turning

Light a candle in the darkness
Shine a light where evil lies
Be a voice for those in silence
Speak the truth – keep hope alive
Light a candle

Light a candle in the darkness
Shine a light where evil lies
Be a voice for those in silence
Speak the truth – keep hope alive
Light a candle


©2004 Songs of Lankhmar (Admin. by Rio Bravo Music, Inc.) BMI and Star Street Music Ltd BMI/PRS