You Know It's Dark When Atheists Start To Pray Lyrics - Outsiders - Jesse Malin

Joey was a man from the other side 

Came across the sea for a better life 

When he got close they made him change his name 

Push along a cart through the market place 

Keep it in your heart when you're getting spades 

But that was so many years ago 

I lived in many places, I've fallen out of graces 

I tried to feed the fire for so long 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

A Nietzsche mustache and a peasant's hat 

Five hungry kids in a water flat 

Maybe I'll make a little more today 

A new world dream and some old school pride 

He couldn't make a meet so he took his life 

I saw a photograph and made memories in my mind 

I've fallen out of graces, I've ran so many races 

I tried to breathe the fire for so long 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

Well he was on the blacklist in '53 

And he talked about the conspiracy 

He said the next war is gonna blow us all away 

I played in churches and I prayed in bars 

A young kid with a sad guitar 

To get close I had to go far away 

Well I became a drifter 

Sent postcards to my sister 

And I can hear her smile even when I'm far away 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

Well I drank with kings and danced with whores 

On mountain tops and distant shores 

But you made me feel like someone I wished to be 

I tried to wear my father's clothes 

I planted seeds that didn't grow 

With a handful of thorns I thought that I was free 

Worked in a bank, drove a diesel van 

Even Sonny Wortzik had a plan 

Do your time and get out of society 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

Now you're sitting in an office, you've never seen the world 

Gonna blame it on the government or a girl 

But there's somewhere else you know you'd rather be 

Scratching off the numbers in a liquor store 

Dreaming of picking up a '44 

Tell me more about your fantasy 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

From Spanish Harlem to Ditmas Park 

A lonely game of court and spark 

I wrote a song, I figured it's the only way 

While the girls from school all married stiffs 

WIth a flat screen and couple kids 

And they say a prayer in their own little way 

Well a friend of mine became a priest 

And we lost another in the Middle East 

Well, you know it's dark when atheists start to pray 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

Boxes in the corner neatly stacked 

Parts of me, paper and wax 

For a headline day to ride in that Cadillac 

And when it's over and I've had my fill 

They're gonna put my body up on Cypress Hill 

Near Houdini for the final disappearing act 

Hey man, where you going 

Up town the river's rolling 

The sun comes, I'll be on my way 

Hey man, whatcha doing 

All along the road to ruin 

You know it's dark when Atheists start to pray 

From the fox holes to the quarter 

Got your mojo workin' 

Or whatever you believe in, all your voodoo 

Well, the river runs deep and the river runs wide