Jack and Edie lying across my bed   Flying high like the spirits of the dead   The living and the dead, the living and the dead      Our Lady of Sorrows and the long dark night   How many candles could I light   For the living and the dead, the living and the dead?      What's that black smoke rising Jack, is the world on fire?   What's that distant singing, is it a heavenly choir?   Of the living and the dead, the living and the dead      I think about you Jack watching the TV   And drinking booze, shame on you, shame on me   But how can we help it there was no where else to go   I sent Julie and Billy out on that long hard road   On that long hard road, on that long hard road      I'm just back from Mexico city   I came back north to Texas to rest my weary head   My true love is fresh from the battle field   Sewing up the dying and carting off the dead   My baby don't stand no fighting amongst the living or the dead      What's that black smoke rising Jack, is the world on fire?   What's that distant singing, is it a heavenly choir?   Of the living and the dead, the living and the dead   The living and the dead, the living and the dead   The living and the dead, the living and the dead