copyright © 2003 Cory Capron 
Wicked Ways
Written and preformed by Cory Capron, Friday, August 29th, 2003

 
Ain't no love for the loveless 
So the unloved say
I've been peeking in the keyholes
I've been standing in my own way
Stranded by my own invention
Too much of a good thing
Led a war of blindness
I hit bottom and kept falling

Now it feels like the end of my days
So on my knees I do prey
If you can get me out of this one
Lord I'll quit my wicked ways
Quit my wicked ways
Swear I'll quit my wicked ways
If you can get me out of this one
Lord I'll quit my wicked ways

Saw a rose in the briers
Prettiest girl I've ever seen
Say's that she can't love me
Till the day that I come clean
Took her down to the garden
Kissed her on the cheek
I know she'll be in heaven
While I'm burning underneath

And now I see her walking away
So on my knees I do prey
If you can get me in with this one
Lord I'll quit my wicked ways
Quit my wicked ways
Swear I'll quit my wicked ways
If you can get me in with this one
Lord I'll quit my wicked ways

Thought I'd worn my welcome
On the bed I found my hat
Left this town just a-crying
With the sun crawling up my back
Followed the sound of water
Thought it the river of the lord
Found a lake of fire
Bleeding from a golden sword
But I was scared and lonely
With not a soul to hold
I fled into the fire
For the land had grown too cold

Now St. Peter, tell me why you're laughing?
Tell me why do you slam the door?
If you just open up the gate, Lord
Then I'll quit my ways for sure
Quit my ways for sure
Swear I'll quit my ways for sure
If you just open up the gate, Lord
Then I'll quit my ways for sure

Now don't you follow me... my love
Don't you wait at the edge of the blaze
Go on now to heaven
I can't quit my wicked ways
I can't quit my wicked ways

Quit my wicked ways
Quit my wicked ways
Go on now to heaven
I can't quit my wicked ways

Cause there ain't no love for the loveless 
So the unloved say
I was peeking in the keyholes
I was standing in my own way
THIS SCRIPT IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This song is dedicated to the great Son House. A while back I did a song of sorts called "Silly Minds" which I introduced with an improv about how I was so moved by Son House and how he was a big influence on me. That was all said to throw people off from what I was really doing in that piece, but as I got around to thinking about it, I realized it was pretty true. He, and those that followed him, are huge influences on me. So I decided I'd do a tribute for real.

One of the things that always fascinated me most about Son House is how spiritually conflicted he was. He was the son of a preacher, yet he sang the blues in a time when it was still considered (much like jazz) to be the music of the devil. He mixed the gospel with the blues shamelessly despite others views of it being blasphemy, shouting out that he'd "preach the blues." In old archive footage the sight of Son House singing is a truly powerful thing. He trebles as if he really did have god and the devil fighting over his soul.

The actual song Wicked Ways has very little to do with Son house outside of theme and style of delivery, (no instruments, bluesy gospel) but deals more with the idea of running out of karma, luck, second chances unpaid. I don't think of it is a religious song though. It uses a lot of biblical language because that's what I was raised with and am most familiar with. I like to think of the imagery as more of an accent of where I come from instead of where I am.

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