Then Came the Night

Long-legged shadows Mississippi sunset She was standing like a candle That hadn’t been burned yet The wind was blowin’ Clouds like ashes Had my hand in my pocket Reaching for my matches I can see those Cotton sheets dancin’ On her mama’s clothesline in my head From my lips a Lucky Strike was danglin’ The day was dyin’ in a sea of red Then came the night Warm and dark Draggin’ its chains Across our hearts The moon was full The grass was wet Makin’ us scream makin’ us sweat Holdin’ on tight It was wrong it was right Then came the night There was a time When love was a flower Now it’s a vine Climbin’ up the tower And the river just rolls Past the garden Where love won’t grow And the ground is hardened I can see the tattered white flag flyin’ I can hear the ringin’ mission bell Telling of the innocence that’s dyin’ A sound that i remember oh so well Then came the night Warm and dark Draggin’ its chains Across our hearts The moon was full The grass was wet Makin’ us scream makin’ us sweat Makin’ us cling makin’ us claw Makin’ us rise makin’ us fall Breath on breath, skin on skin I can’t go back, there again Holdin’ on tight It was wrong it was right Then came the night I remember that summer I was workin’ for her daddy I was still a boy But i knew i was ready When she reached out and took my hand She became a woman And i became a man I wonder if she still thinks about me The way i still think about her You don’t forget something like that There’s only one first time