Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead

We sang of the old canal
and the whiskey in our blood
a chorus for my people
The Murphy’s and the Stubbs
before you go off guns a blazing
sing a song instead
may you get to heaven before the devil knows you’re dead

My father left the Eastside
on the Sumach street car
rode it from Brown Derby to the Zanzibar
grandad was the steward when the steel workers said
may you get to heaven before the devil knows you’re dead

Patrick was a tough kid from the wrong side of the tracks
Grandma ran a Beckers Milk with a monkey on her back
before the judge's gavel fell
he just shook his head
may you get to heaven before the devil knows you’re dead