He came down here from Canada
and he needed a place to stay
He came down here from Canada
and he needed a place to stay
I asked my darling darling
and she said it was okay

he played the steel guitar
we sat up all night long
he played the steel guitar
we sat up all night long
he was a friend to me
like friends long since gone

at night I'd ask my darling
how lucky can we be
a friend like our dear stranger
and the love of you and me

now she and I were married
we'd been married in the fall
she and I were married
we'd been married in the fall
and in her arms I could ignore
that cold coyote call

we had a baby coming
it was the promise of our lives
we had a baby coming
it was the promise of our lives
we had no way we could afford it
it was the promise of our lives

at night I'd ask my darling
how lucky can we be
our sweet new baby coming
and the love of you and me

I had lived a life of violence
but that was all behind me now
I had lived a life of violence
but that was all behind me now
and with my angel in my arms
I heard no coyote howl

he had a motorcycle
one day he took her for a ride
he had a motorcycle
one day he took her for a ride
she came back with hair like velvet
and a secret in her eyes

at night I'd ask my darling
how lucky can we be
a friend like our dear stranger
and the love of you and me

I came home from work one day
they were sitting on the floor
I came home from work one day
they were sitting on the floor
she looked me in the eye and said
she didn't love me anymore

I still carried a small pistol
and I put it in her mouth
I still carried a small pistol
and I put it in his mouth
then I stood and watched
the two of them and I turned
and left the house

tonight I'll ask my darling
how lucky can I be
that a friend like our dear stranger
arrived to rescue me

1999 Zen of Iniquity Publishing