A Fool's Gospel

Verse 1

Sheriff Tate found him sleeping in the baptist fountain

Boots on the pulpit steps at half past dawn

He stole the mayor's tractor for a midnight drag race

Brought it back with a dent and a brand new song

Preacher Crane called him a walking congregation of sin

Said boy you're headed somewhere hot and low

But the fool just grinned and tipped his busted hat

Said I reckon I'll see you when I go

Chorus 1

One wears a badge one wears a Bible

One wears nothing but a reckless smile

The fool rides free down a crooked mile

And the whole town laughs for a little while

(Laughs for a little while)

Verse 2

Then the creek rose up and took the old mill bridge

Split the town in two by Tuesday night

Sheriff wanted sandbags preacher wanted prayer

Nobody could agree on wrong or right

The fool stood up on a feed store crate

Said I got a notion and it's kinda strange

They said sit down boy you're a walking mess

But he drew a map on the back of a candy wrapper page

Chorus 2

One wears a badge one wears a Bible

One wears nothing but a foolish plan

The fool rides free but the water's rising

And maybe we never knew that man

(Never knew that man)

Verse 3

He rigged the old grain auger to a tractor chain

Pulled the whole town's rowboats through the mud

Sheriff held the rope with both his hands

Preacher waded in and blessed the flood

Half-time now the water hit the levy wall

Then the chorus of the county came alive

Every soul that ever called him worthless

Grabbed a rope and pulled and kept the town alive

Chorus 3

One wore a badge one wore a Bible

One wore nothing but a beaten heart

The fool rode in like a ragged angel

And the whole town learned to play their part

(Raise it up now raise it up)

Guitar Solo

Fiddle Answer

Verse 4

Sheriff shook his hand outside the courthouse steps

Said I been wrong about a lot of things

Preacher took his hat off in the morning light

Said grace don't always come on holy wings

Chorus 4

One wears a badge one wears a Bible

One wears nothing but a second chance

The fool rides home through a grateful town

And we all join hands and we all dance

(Join hands now join hands)

Hallelujah for the fool's gospel

Hallelujah for the fool's gospel

(Oh-oh-oh oh-oh-oh)

Outro

Mm-hmm mm-hmm

(Hallelujah)

Mm-hmm mm-hmm

(Oh-oh)