Pale Light of Mercy

Boy, if I had a dollar for every long night like this
I'd build a mansion on that hill, I'd be cruel and bloodless
but these long nights don’t pay. I ain’t got a dollar to my name
these jeans are torn, this heart is worn, but I'm on my way
And I'll search all over and I won't stop until until I see...me
gaze upon the sweet pale light of mercy

Gretchen burns herself to sleep, but her dreams are soaked with tears
she screams all day long but it's a scream that nobody hears
today I saw her on the street, swimming in those phantom lies of defeat
There’s a hurting deep inside, but she just cannot hide from me
She said, "I've been waiting for it to fall all over me"
waiting for the sweet pale light of mercy.

It was two years ago today when Willie had his last drink
I saw teardrops form in his eyes, He said "it really made me think
The gift of life has been abused, it's been distorted, it's been confused
Your life will leave you far behind, so much wasted time for you to lose."
Then I heard the bells a-ringing, ringing out for you and me
Ringing for the sweet pale light, ringing for the sweet pale light of mercy

From the basement of this church, to the White House doors
from the snow capped covered mountains to the Caribbean shores
from Damascus to Donegal, men will rise and men will fall
some will look everywhere, some won't even care, some will hear the call
It's not written in the courthouse, it's no ancient decree
gaze upon the sweet pale light, gaze upon the sweet pale light of mercy

The clock it beckons me to move, the candle calls my bluff
I've got everything to prove but am I really all that tough?
Everything's become more complex. Temptation gets so much harder to reject
Down a medicated track will leave that monkey on your back
and the bitterness up for grabs

Listen for the bells a-ringing, they ring out for you and me
ringing for the sweet pale light, singing for the sweet pale light,
thinking about the sweet pale light of mercy.

Marshal’s version of lyrics:

Boy, if I had a dollar for every long night like this
I'd build a mansion on that hill, I'd be cruel and (bloodless) gluttonous
but these (longbacks) long nights don’t pay. I ain’t got a dollar to my name
these jeans are torn, this heart is worn, but I'm on my way
And I'll search all over and I won't stop until until I see...me
gaze upon the sweet pale light of mercy

Gretchen burns herself to sleep, but her dreams are soaked with tears
she screams all day long but it's a scream that nobody hears
today I saw her on the street, swimming in those (phantom) fragile lies of defeat
They were hurting deep inside, but she just cannot hide from me
She said, "I've been waiting for it to fall all over me"
waiting for the sweet pale light of mercy.

It was two years ago today when (Willie) Werther had his last drink
I saw teardrops form in his eyes, He said "it really made me think
The gift of life has been abused, it's been distorted, it's been confused
Your life will leave you far behind, so much wasted time for you to lose."
Then I heard the bells a-ringing, ringing out for you and me
Ringing for the sweet pale light, ringing for the sweet pale light of mercy

From the basement of this church, to the White House doors
from the snow capped covered mountains to the Caribbean shores
from Damascus to Donegal, men will rise and men will fall
some will look everywhere, some won't even care, some will hear the call
It's not written in the courthouse, it's no ancient decree
gaze upon the sweet pale light, gaze upon the sweet pale light of mercy

The clock it beckons me to move, the (candle) calendar calls my bluff
I've got everything to prove but am I really all that tough?
Everything's become more complex. Temptation gets so much harder to reject
Down a medicated track will leave that monkey on your back
and the bitterness (up for grabs) of regret

Listen for the bells a-ringing, they ring out for you and me
ringing for the sweet pale light, singing for the sweet pale light,
thinking about the sweet pale light of mercy.