Israelites and Okies

from the album "Old Angel"

(2010 Terry Scott Taylor)

I’m with Israelites and Okies
Escapin’ ‘cross the desert sand
Driven by the lash of providence
Towards the mine fields of the Promised Land
Glowin’ in the heart of darkness
Golden calves and neon signs
Bright enough to paint a halo
Above the sin on our minds

I wanna travel this broken road
Strapped to the mercy seat
Payin’ strict and holy attention
To the people I meet
If I’m gonna show you heaven
First I’ve gotta show you hell
In songs about exiles and a garden
Before and after we fell
O Israelites and Okies
May we all travel well

Heavy pieces of old stone tablets
In our back packs weigh us down
And though we’ve broken every God-carved word there
We still carry them around
Some cross through the blood-red canyon
Through the veil of desert heat
Crushing every serpent crawling
‘Neath their wounded feet

I wanna travel this broken road
Strapped to the mercy seat
Payin’ strict and holy attention
To the people I meet
If I’m gonna show you heaven
First I’ve gotta show you hell
In songs about exiles and a garden
Before and after we fell
O Israelites and Okies
May we all travel

Well through the Red Sea waters
Stake our claim and safely dwell
O Israelites and Okies
May we all travel well

If I’m gonna show you heaven
First I’ve gotta show you hell
In songs about exiles and a garden
Before and after we fell
O Israelites and Okies
Israelites and Okies
O Israelites and Okies
May we all travel well