I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

But this is my deathbed
I lie here alone
If I close my eyes tonight
I know I'll be home

The year was nineteen forty one
I was _eight years old and far far too young
To know that the stories
Of battles and glory
Was a tale a kind mother made up for her son

You see, Dad was a traveling preacher
Teaching the words of The Teacher
But Mother had sworn
He went off to the war
And died there with honor somewhere on a beach there
But he left once to never return
Which taught me that I should unlearn
Whatever I thought a father should be
I abandoned that thought like he abandoned me

By '47 I was fourteen
I'd acquired a taste for liquor and nicotine
I smoked until
I threw up yet I still
Lit em' up for thirty more years like a machine
So right there you have it
That one filthy habit
Is what got me where I am today

I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

I can hear those sad memories
Still haunting me
So many things
I'd do again

But this is my deathbed
I lie here alone
If I close my eyes tonight
I know I'll be home

Got married on my twenty first
8 months before my wife would give birth
Its easier to be sure you love someone
When her father inquires with the barrel of a gun
The union was far from harmonious
No two people could have been more alone than us
The years would go by and she'd love someone else
And I'd realized I hadn't been loved yet myself

From there its your typical spiel
Yeah if life was a highway I was drunk at the wheel
I was helping the lose ends all fall apart
Yeah I swear I was destined to fail and fail from the start

I bowled about 6 times a week
The bottle of Beam kept the memories from me
Our marriage had taken a 7 ten split
And along with my pride the ex-wife took the kids

I was so scared of Jesus
But he sought me out
Like the cancer in my lungs that is killing me now
And I've given up hope
On the days I have left
But I cling to the hope
Of my life in the next

Then Jesus showed up
Said "Before we go up
I thought we might reminisce
See one night in your life
When you turned out the lights
You asked for and prayed for my forgiveness

You cried, wolf
The tears they soaked your fur
The blood dripped from your fangs
You said 'What have I done?'
You loved that lamb
With every sinful bone
And there you wept alone
Your heart was so contrite
You said 'Jesus please forgive me of my crimes
Sanctify this withered heart of mine
Stay with me until my life is through
And on that day, please take me home with you'"

I can smell the death on the sheets
Covering me
I can't believe
This is the end

I can hear you whisper to me
Its time to leave
You'll never be
Lonely again

But this was my deathbed
I died there alone
When I closed my eyes tonight
You carried me home

I am the way
Follow me and take my hand
And I am the truth
Embrace me and you'll understand
I am the life
Through me you'll live again
For I am love
I am love
I am love