Novella's Reckoning

[Intro]

Well, gather 'round, there's a story tonight,

'Bout a little red devil who thought he was right.

He crossed the plains with a grin on his face,

Thinkin' he'd found an easy soul to replace.

But he picked the wrong girl,

In the wrong damn state,

'Cause Novella don't surrender,

And she sure as hell don't negotiate.

[Verse 1]

It was late one night underneath a pale moon,

When I heard a little voice humming out of tune.

I looked around, but nobody was there,

Then a shadow stepped out from the cold night air.

He tipped his hat and gave me a grin,

Said, "Sweet little girl, you can't possibly win.

I've seen your heart, I've seen what you fear,

And I've come to tell you the end is near."

[Pre-Chorus]

He said, "I've got a deal,

And you oughta take it.

Give up on your dreams,

Before somebody breaks it."

I crossed my arms and stared him down,

Then said, "Buddy, you're in the wrong damn town."

[Chorus]

The devil came down to South Dakota,

He started whispering into my head,

You wouldn't guess what he said.

He told me, "Oh sweet Novella,"

"Don't you know there's only darkness ahead?"

"Stop trying to wait for your love,"

And all I said was:

"Who made you my messenger dove?"

Yeah, the devil came down to South Dakota,

But I shoved his tail up his ass.

Because when it comes to negotiation,

I'm the real queen of sass.

[Verse 2]

He started laughing, said, "You're quite a sight,

But stubborn little girls don't win every fight."

I said, "Maybe so, but here's the thing:

You don't know the strength that a stubborn heart brings."

He said, "Distance will break you,

Time will make you forget.

You'll wake up one morning

With nothing but regret."

I shook my head and answered,

"You really don't get it.

If love's worth fighting for,

Why the hell would I quit it?"

[Pre-Chorus]

He slammed his fist,

He stomped his feet,

He tried every trick

To make me retreat.

But every threat he threw my way

Just gave me another damn thing to say.

[Chorus]

The devil came down to South Dakota,

He started whispering into my head,

You wouldn't guess what he said.

He told me, "Oh sweet Novella,"

"Don't you know there's only darkness ahead?"

"Stop trying to wait for your love,"

And all I said was:

"Who made you my messenger dove?"

Yeah, the devil came down to South Dakota,

But I shoved his tail up his ass.

Because when it comes to negotiation,

I'm the real queen of sass.

[GUITAR SOLO]

[Bridge]

He said, "Girl, you're wasting your time."

I said, "Funny, I was about to say the same about mine."

He said, "You'll lose."

I said, "We'll see."

He said, "You'll break."

I said, "Not easily."

Then he leaned in close and whispered,

"You're fighting a losing game."

I smiled and told him,

"Then why'd you come here saying my name?"

[Breakdown]

You can bring your darkness,

You can bring your lies,

You can paint tomorrow

In your darkest skies.

But you don't get to tell me

What my heart should do.

And you sure as hell

Don't get to choose.

[Final Chorus]

The devil came down to South Dakota,

He started whispering into my head,

You wouldn't guess what he said.

He told me, "Oh sweet Novella,"

"Don't you know there's only darkness ahead?"

"Stop trying to wait for your love,"

And all I said was:

"Who made you my messenger dove?"

Yeah, the devil came down to South Dakota,

But I shoved his tail up his ass.

Because when it comes to negotiation,

I'm the real queen of sass.

[Outro]

So if you see that devil

Walking down the road,

Don't worry, he'll remember

The night he met Novella.

He came looking for surrender,

But he got something else instead:

A slammed door,

A middle finger,

And a lesson he won't forget.