Well can't you see a flood's a-comin'
Said the bird real high "ain't that somethin'."
Said the people without runnin'
"Can't you see a flood's a-comin'?"
Well hey there bird of misfortune
Come again some other mornin'
The people here don't heed that warnin'
Sky's too cloudy where you're soarin'
Like a silly bird I sound
But from my vantage point I've found
That where men gather sinks the ground
And all the evil pools to drown
Yeah throw that quarter down the machine
Right down that slot of dreams
Then the hands of unknown forces
Will land and amass a town of corpses
Yeah from the rich down to the poor
Folks move like revolvin' doors
And other pimps and theives and whores
Just walk the streets down on all fours
That soldier boy without his band
Is marchin' down the avenue grand
His feet are sinkin' in the sand
And there's tinglin' in the tips of his hands
And he'll be screamin' how he's better than
But there ain't no one worse off than man
Carry that torch while you can
No one claps at our command
But happy are the foolish flocks
With houses made of buildin' blocks
Sellin' stones and payin' with rocks
While the lonely buzzard mocks
No you never learned you're part of all
The world looks better on your wall
Blind and deaf you missed the call
Now water o'er the land will fall
Well can't you see a flood's a-comin
Said the bird real high "ain't that somethin'."
Said the people without runnin'
"Can't you see a flood's a-comin'?"