Tim O'Brien - Old Joe Lyrics

(Tim O'Brien, John Smith)

Outside of town where the bodies are buried
The bodies are buried outside of town
They decorate the graves with the flowers they carry
The flowers they carry all scattered around

Old Joe pulls back the weeds from the headstones
He cuts the vines that grow in between
Old Joe works at the cemetery
At the cemetery keeping it clean

Old Joe carries a spade and shovel
A spade and a shovel to the top of the hill
He gets a rhythm and he starts diggin
He starts singin with the Whipporwill

Joe sees families comin and goin
Comin and goin as the years roll by
The whole town comes here sooner or later
Sooner or later everyone dies

Old Joe knows they all had secrets
They all had secrets they took to the grave
Old Joe knows the secrets don’t die
Secrets don’t die on the burying day

Old Joe knows the hearse will be comin
The hearse comes rollin when the church bell tolls
Tomorrow morning they’ll be prayin and preachin
Prayin and preachin right over this hole

Old Joe sees the loved ones leavin
The loved ones leavin wiping their eyes
Old Joe looks where they lowered the casket
The ground’s still wet from the tears they cried

After the body is six feet under
Six feet down beneath the clay
He walks to the gate as the sun is settin
His workin is done for one more day

And no one hears the voices risin
The voices risin from below the ground
No one hears the stories they’re telling
The songs they sing when the sun goes down