Dropped a man in the river.
And like a bullet right through his soul,
brought him back up, from the water
and he was reborn

Dropped a man in the river
Put a bullet right through his pride
Brought him up from the water
Where he Left his old life to die

He wore a smile that fooled most people,
Built a life with steady hands
Paid his bills and loved his family,
Just like any decent man
But somewhere underneath the surface,
There lived a king upon the throne
He knew about the name of Jesus
He just preferred to rule on his own

Sunday mornings came like seasons,
Songs he knew since he was young
The words rolled off his lips with ease,
But seldom reached his stubborn heart
Every blessing fed his confidence,
Every trial he faced alone
Until he learned that pride can build
The strongest prison ever known

That’s why I Dropped a man in the river,
Sent the old man to his grave
Brought him back up from the water
The way that Only Jesus can save

Dropped a man in the river,
I put the old man in the ground
Brought him up from the water
And new life’s is what I found

I’ve carried crosses made of hardwood,
Never picked up one of grace
I’ve worked the overtime and fixed the fences,
I Thought hard work could earn my place
Every mile I walked was forward,
Never once did I bend down on my knees
Funny how the strongest shoulders
Just couldn’t carry eternity

Then one Sunday by the river,
Heaven called me by my name
So I walked into that muddy water
And walked out with a different name
The preacher said, “Leave who you are”
Let mercy wash away your shame
When I rose to meet my Savior
Nothing wearing my name remained

That’s why I killed a man in the river,
I left him where he fell
I buried all the lies,
And left the chains beneath that swell
Lifted up a brand-new sinner,
Wearing heaven instead of scorn
I killed a man down in the river
And watched him be reborn.

Black water underneath me,
dark branches overhead,
Moon hung like a lantern
over the living and the dead.
Tied my boat to a cypress,
Spanish moss hung low,
Bloodshot eyes.. broke the water
Where the muddy, muddy river slowed.

Never made a ripple,
Never showed me tooth or hide,
Just floated like a secret
With darkness on his side.
Reached down for my paddle,
as he moved across my bow,
then something in that blackness said,
You ain’t leaving now.

There’s a gator by the boat, Lord,
And the water’s getting deep.
There are things beneath the surface
That don’t ever sleep.
You can run back through the bayou,
You can pray the darkness will go,
But sooner or later every man
Meets a gator by the edge if his boat.

I’d seen him in the daylight,
Though I never knew his name,
In a rich man counting money,
In a poor man laying blame.
I heard him in the angry words
That cut a good man down,
I’ve seen him shadoe’s in the churches,
And walking at the edge of town.

He’d been hiding in the bottle,
He’s the finger on the trigger of a gun
As he whispers to the fathers,
And calling to their sons.
Everywhere a man chose hatred,
Everywhere a lie was told,
I could see those bloodshot eyes
Black and hungry, hard and cold.

There’s a gator by the boat, Lord,
And the water’s getting deep.
There are things beneath the surface
That don’t ever go to sleep.
I can run back through the bayou,
I can pray the darkness will go,
But sooner or later every man
Meets the gator by the edge off his boat.

So I stood up in my johnboat,
With my boots against the floor,
Said, “I’ve spent my whole life running.
I ain’t running anymore.”
Then he rolled beneath the water,
And he pushed against my side,
Like I’d met him in a cold dark alley
With no-one there by my side.

So I fought him with my anger,
But my anger made him strong.
So I fought him with my hatred,
And somehow that felt wrong.
So I cursed him and I struck him,
Till I heard beneath my breath
You cannot beat the darkness on your own
It just isn’t possible, without Jesus.

So I dropped what I was holding,
Stood bleeding in my boat,
And stared into those ancient eyes
Still rising at my throat.
I had come there all alone,
Thinking strength would see me through
Then I finally understood
That’s what evil wants you to do.

There’s a gator by the boat, Lord,
And he’s older than the trees.
He’s been feeding on our anger
Since the Garden lost its peace.
You can fight him with your hatred,
But you’ll feed him as you go,
‘Cause the devil loves a man who thinks
He can beat him on his own.

There’s a gator by the boat, Lord
But I finally understand:
Sometimes fighting evil
Means refusing its command.
I thought alone
Made me stronger than my foe
Till I called the name of Jesus
And watched those eyes disappear below.

He rolled into our little town, in 1882 — (the year God is declared dead)
His wagon shone like the morning rain
He said, ”I’ve come to trade, your hopes and dreams
For golden and chain

I have a lamp that burns all night
No candle smoke will you ever again bare
The children can quit chasing fireflies
And get out of the evening air
Where the stars fill the sky,
and the heavens shine down on this beautiful land
None of it compares to my lamp
Said the Tin Man

I have a clock that gives you more time
You’ll never forget to do all your chores
Your fields will be plowed before dawn
So your harvest will yield so much more
Why waste the day just sitting around talking
When every minute can be planned
From morning to night, you’ll stay busy
Said the Tin Man

(Verse for live version only)
And I know a guy that will tell you all About your problems
All you have to do is sit down in his chair
He’ll take your coat and make you feel so welcome
And it will be quiet and I promise he will be fair
As he tells you your right
And everyone else is wrong
Take my word, it’s worth the cost
To keep you right where you belong

And as the years rolled by, like iron wheels
On a long slow train
Each town grew richer and busier
Each day
He carried newer, and finer things
The best that money could buy or could be made
Yet every smile behind each face
Started to look just a little frayed

And then one day
A widow watched him pass
When she looked at him and whispered low
“I’ve seen your kind (come and go) before and I know what you sew
You’ve sold them more than shiny things
I know your game
You turned their eyes from what mattered most
Then watched them drift away”

Then the Tin Man tipped his hat
And quietly answered in a deep moan
Referring back to the streets of pride and polish
Where the hearts no longer shone
And he grinned from beneath his brim
That was covered in dust and sand
And said “Shiny things, my dear… shiny things
All I had to do was hold them in my hand.”
Laughed the Tin Man

“My name is the devil,
that’s right, I’m here for you
Just imagine the things together we can do”

“My name is satan,
So what if I lie
You’re the one that picked my side”

“My name is demon,
Go ahead throw yourself from that wall
Don’t worry, I’ll catch you when you fall”

“My name is impatience
It’s time to go
You can leave your belongings; I only need your soul”

“My name is greed
That’s right, keep it for yourself
The little ones over there don’t need your help”

Again, Jesus said
“It’s written you should not put the Lord your God to the test”

But the devil didn’t care

So Jesus said “Be gone, Satan
Be gone
Be gone, Satan
Be gone”

And he was gone.

I remember that old gravel road
And the sound of your little feet
Running through the backyard grass
Trying hard to keep up with me

You’d ask a thousand questions
About the stars and where they go
I’d make up half the answers
And we’d watch the fireflies glow

Now you’re sitting at the table
Talking ’bout your hopes and plans
And I still see that little girl
Holding tightly to my hand

The years don’t ask permission
They just roll on down the line
One day you’re teaching them to walk
Then they’re teaching them to say goodbye

Tonight I checked your bedroom
Before I turned out all the lights
Your teddy bear beside you
And your dreams tucked in real tight

The world’s still waiting on you
But one thing I already know
If you keep Jesus in your heart
You’ll never walk alone

A shadow where the morning stood
Sunrise knows my face
Worn out these dusty boots
Still I never found my place

The rivers crossed keep singing out
This is not the life I planned
And yet, I keep running
Because I’m a running man

I’ve followed every county line
Believing I could choose
Holding with both my hands
Afraid of what I’d lose

The mountains bowed before the lands
And were open to the fathers hand
And yet, I did not yield
I took the devil’s stand

Because I was a running man

I’ve carved my name on weathered stone
So time would know I’ve been
The seasons wore the letters down
Like they had never been

Then the road grew quiet underneath my feet
Like it had nothing left to say
And I finally laid my burden down
And watched the light replace the gray

Some doors don’t open to the proud
Some truths don’t shout, they stand
And the louder that you shout
The less you’ll understand

And now, I’m no longer a running man

The wind came cold from Malin Head
Across the cliffs and heather gray
The Atlantic rolled beneath the sky
Just like it did that summer day

The gulls still wheel above the rocks
The lighthouse keeps its lonely view
And every step along this shore
Brings back a memory of you… Like déjà vu

The evening settles on the coast
A silver mist begins to rise
The distant boats become faint lights
Like scattered stars beneath the skies

I hear your laughter on the wind
The way I always used to 
And every rolling swell that breaks
Returns another piece of you… Like déjà vu

Wave after wave comes crashing down
The sea remembers what we knew
The salt, the wind, your hand in mine
A thousand moments shining through

Though years have carried you away
And time has changed the ocean’s hue
I stand here where we stood before
And it’s like… déjà vu