A Long Time Away

Shuddering brakes on the road to Jerusalem It's so easy to drift when your eyes are so tired And in the rush to the scene you are one of the millions In a dirty old town that some killing made holy Crying, Give us the last rites Or give us our dreaming Or give us the thunder's rolling--ah! Well, look around, old friend Nothing is laid to rest It just grows unattended And you've been a long time away A break in the clouds like in a crack in a cylinder But now there's blood on the beach and a wreck in the water And as the shadow arrives on the face of your innocence You feel the shock in your eyes and the shaking in your own hands And look around, old friend You live under house arrest And you sleep undefended And you've been a long time away Riding a wild life But you let go of the reins And you answer to me now And you've been a long time away And it never goes dark Under these lights It never goes cold Under fire Bring the drums Bring the lights Bring the wires