Shells on Fire

Verse 1

Out by the river where the cattails sway

I heard a story driftin down my way

Folks round here say you better look twice

When the moon cuts through in the dead of night

There’s something wild that you might just see

Shells in the smoke, wings where feet should be

Rumors blow in when the summer gets dry

Turtles flying low across the cotton sky

Chorus

Turtles flying high over the wire

Shells spinning round caught up in fire

No one believed a slow old soul

Could soar through the air where the wild winds go

Post-Chorus

Hey now hey now

Watch 'em burn but never fall down

Hey now hey now

Turtles floating up above this town

Verse 2

I saw old Jimmy with a scar on his chin

He said "Boy I swear, there's flames on their skin"

Shells glimmer gold in the red sunrise

Never understood how they light up the sky

Pre-Chorus

Truth's a little strange when you stand close by

The world flips over as the slow ones fly

Chorus

Turtles flying high over the wire

Shells spinning round caught up in fire

No one believed a slow old soul

Could soar through the air where the wild winds go

Post-Chorus

Hey now hey now

Watch 'em burn but never fall down

Hey now hey now

Turtles floating up above this town

Chorus

Turtles flying high over the wire

Shells spinning round caught up in fire

No one believed a slow old soul

Could soar through the air where the wild winds go

Post-Chorus

Hey now hey now

Watch 'em burn but never fall down

Hey now hey now

Turtles floating up above this town

Verse 3

Up where the stars barely flicker or blink

They roll through the thunder with a gasoline stink

Smoke curling out while their tiny eyes glare

With cigarettes clamped in the cool midnight air

The daring ones tumble in arcs through the breeze

Ash on their shells drifting down through the trees

Old legends smolder like fire on their backs

No telling what’s real when the world cracks

Verse 4

In the pale station light by the gravel truck bay

Turtles lined up, filling tanks at midday

Cigarettes hanging, smoke curling wide

Goggles pulled down for the noonday ride

They laugh at the world as the register dings

Cold muddy footprints where gasoline clings

Striking a match, with a wink and a grin

You’d swear they were legends or someone’s old sin