Pie In The Sky: Lyrics

Joe Hill

• CD The Folkways Years
• LP Songs Of The Open Road

Long-haired preachers come out every night
To tell you what's wrong and what's right
But when asked how about something to eat
They will answer in voices so sweet:

    You will eat, bye and bye
    In that glorious land above the sky
    Work and pray, live on hay
    You'll get pie in the sky when you die.
    That's a lie

And the starvation army they play
They sing and they clap and they pray
'Till they get all your coin on the drum
Then they'll tell you when you're on the bum:

    You're gonna eat, bye and bye, poor boy
    In that glorious land above the sky, way up high
    Work and pray, live on hay
    You'll get pie in the sky when you die
    Dirty lie

Holy Rollers and jumpers come out
They holler, they jump, Lord, they shout
Give your money to Jesus they say
He will cure all troubles today

    And you will eat, bye and bye,
    In that glorious land above the sky, way up high
    Work and pray, boy, live on hay,
    You'll get pie in the sky when you die.

If you fight hard for children and wife
Try to get something good in this life
You're a sinner and bad man, they tell
When you die you will sure go to hell

    You will eat, bye and bye
    In that glorious land above the sky
    Work and pray, live on hay
    You'll get pie in the sky when you die

Workingmen of all countries, unite
Side by side we for freedom will fight
When this world and its wealth we have gained
To the grafters we'll sing this refrain:

    Well, you will eat, bye and bye
    When you've learned how to cook and to fry
    Chop some wood, it'll do you good
    You will eat in the sweet bye and bye

    Yes you'll eat, bye and bye
    In that glorious land above the sky, way up high
    Work and pray, and live on hay
    You'll get pie in the sky when you die
    That's a lie....

Of note:

Read about Joe Hill. And wonder, is this Cisco's opinion, or is Precious Lord, Take My Hand, because he sure can't believe both.

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