Lyrics
Crickets are chirpin' the water is high
Crickets are making noise; the water level is high.
There's a soft cotton dress on the line hangin' dry
A dress made of soft cotton is hanging on the line to dry.
Window wide open African trees
The window is wide open, and there are African trees visible.
Bent over backwards from a hurricane breeze
These trees are bending due to the strong wind from a hurricane.
Not a word of goodbye not even a note
There was no farewell or even a note left behind.
She gone with the man in the long black coat
The woman has left with a mysterious man wearing a long black coat.
Somebody seen him hangin' around
People have noticed this man loitering around.
At the old dance hall on the outskirts of town
He was spotted near an old dance hall situated on the town's outskirts.
He looked into her eyes when she stopped him to ask
When she approached him to ask if he wanted to dance, he had a stoic expression.
If he wanted to dance he had a face like a mask
His face resembled a mask, devoid of emotion.
Somebody said from the bible he'd quote
There's a belief that he would quote from the Bible.
There was dust on the man in the long black coat
The man in the long black coat had dust on him, perhaps signifying a mysterious or unkempt nature.
Preacher was talking there's a sermon he gave
A preacher was giving a sermon.
He said every man's conscience is vile and depraved
The preacher expressed that every person's conscience is morally corrupt.
You cannot depend on it to be your guide
He cautioned against relying on it as a moral guide.
When it's you who must keep it satisfied
It's challenging to accept and abide by one's conscience.
It ain't easy to swallow it sticks in the throat
Metaphorically, it's difficult to accept morally difficult truths.
She gave her heart to the man in the long black coat
The woman gave her love to the mysterious man in the long black coat.
There are no mistakes in life some people say
Some believe there are no accidents or errors in life.
It is true sometimes you can see it that way
It's acknowledged that sometimes events can be seen that way.
But people don't live or die people just float
People exist without necessarily taking significant actions.
She went with the man in the long black coat
The woman chose to be with the man in the long black coat.
There's smoke on the water it's been there since June
Smoke has been present on the water since June.
Tree trunks uprooted beneath the high crescent moon
Tree trunks have been uprooted under the visible crescent moon.
Feel the pulse and vibration and the rumbling force
Sensations of pulsation and strong force are felt.
Somebody is out there beating on a dead horse
There's a sense of futility or wasted effort, symbolized by beating a dead horse.
She never said nothing there was nothing she wrote
The woman remained silent and didn't leave any communication.
She gone with the man in the long black coat
She departed with the man in the long black coat.
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