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about

Alan Kausal on second guitar

lyrics

The Reaper
I sat there in my smoking TV jacket
Staring at the gunfire on the screen
This was not just some ol’ TV Western
Just the daily news and not a dream

The wind outside was driving like a highway
Burning all the trees like gasoline
Just when I was sleeping nice and peaceful
Breaks a branch and slammed the back door screen

Chorus:
Can you beat that reaper? Can you beat that reaper?
Comin’ round in the middle of the night

I woke up in the morning to my coffee
Found the paper folded in my hand
Some one someone loves was in there dying
The reaper really doesn’t give a damn

A daughter, a hooker, a mother dies of cancer
‘Cabbie’, judge and robber gets away
Some suicidal nut shot by the police
The reaper’s bound to look the other way.

Chorus:

Sunny days I sit out on the back porch
I sing and watch the red bird fly around
Walked out on the snows of winter
I found the red bird face down

Chorus:
Can you beat that reaper? Can you beat that reaper?
Comin’ round in the middle of the night
© 1979 John W. McClure

credits

from Cowboys On The Skyline, released August 1, 2011
J.W. McClure

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all rights reserved

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about

J.W. McClure Seattle, Washington

J.W. McClure lives in Stanwood, Washington. This is a career restarted for me. In the 1970’s I was often an opening act at the Washington D.C. clubs, The Cellar Door and The Childe Harold for Tom Paxton, Dave Van Ronk, Tom Rush and many well known bands. In the 1980’s I returned to Washington to do folk music, satire and stand-up comedy before getting swamped by family and other work. ... more

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