mary, carry your babe bound up tight like lips around a whimper your fingers over my face blind eyed Samson driven to the temple and night birds digging until dawn freedom hangs like heaven over everyone ain't nobody knows what the newborn holds but his mama says he'll walk on water and wander back home mary, carry your shame well past all those eyes across the avenue fish heads running from rain you know i'll do anything you want me to lamp oil lovers may say "freedom hangs like heaven over everyone" ain't nobody knows what the newborn holds but his papa's going to hide shaking gristle and shaking like bone mary, carry my name hoof marks hacked up all i had to offer you looked all over this place lost your portrait lately when the winter blew in like herod and them freedom hangs like heaven over everyone anybody knows what the newborn holds but a dollar says he'll lick that devil and do it alone