Putting together a DitV mix for my players to listen to in their cars or whenever they need their fix out-of-game, and so I'm going through some of the music in the Sticky. But, to help inspire me (&you), I thought I'd propose a "Best Dogs Lyrics" contest. Prize is, uh, accolades? or, y'know, a copy of my finished mix or something. Rules - nothing directly mentioned by name in the Rulebook (which disqualifies my first choice from "When the Man Comes Around").  Anyway, to get things started, I'll throw down the gauntlet with a different Cash song:  The Devil's Right Hand (orig. by Steve Earl):

[center]About the time that Daddy left to fight the big war
I saw my first pistol in the general store
In the general store, when I was thirteen

Thought it was the finest thing I ever had seen
So l asked if I could have one someday when I grew up
Mama dropped a dozen eggs, she really blew up
She really blew up and I didn't understand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

The devil's right hand, the devil's right hand
Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

My very first pistol was a cap and ball Colt
Shoot as fast as lightnin' but it loads a mite slow
Loads a mite slow and soon I found out
It can get you into trouble but it can't get you out
So then I went and bought myself a Colt 45
Called a peacemaker but I never knew why
Never knew why, I didn't understand
Cause Mama said the pistol is the devil's right hand

Well I get into a card game in a company town
Caught a miner cheating I shot the dog down
Shot the dog down, watched the man fall
Never touched his holster, never had a chance to draw
The trial was in the morning and they drug me out of bed
Asked me how I pleaded, not guilty I said
Not guilty I said, you've got the wrong man
Nothing touched the trigger but the devil's right hand[/center]

Oh man. You can only guess how many times I listened to this song while I was writing the game.

41 Thunderer

©2001 Dave Carter / Dave Carter Music (BMI)

in fair silver city on the blind side of fate
i grew up to manhood on the narrow and straight
but prideful i stumbled, and foolish i fell
in the silken fine trammels of a cruel yankee belle

slender and wicked, flame in her eyes
pearl white and nickel 'round the curve of her thighs
smooth as dry whiskey, but cold to caress
she slid like a viper from her tooled leather dress

forty-one thunderer, colt repeater
she's a silver-tongued wonder and a mean mistreater
six-eyed delilah, brazen and bold
now it's stand and deliver, and fire in the hole
forty-one thunderer turn loose o' my soul

i feared not the lawman nor the thief in the night
nor angel nor devil when she went by my side
and her hunger burned blazes till it felt like my own
her wanderin heart drove me wild and alone

forty-one thunderer, colt repeater
she's a silver-tongued wonder and a mean mistreater
six-eyed delilah, brazen and bold
now it's stand and deliver, and fire in the hole
forty-one thunderer turn loose o' my soul

we rode out from canaan in search of our fortune
or somethin worth dyin for, beauty or evermore
over the blackwater flats with her jackrabbits running
under a sky burnin brimstone and reckoning
sweet for the hope of rain
and the sand in your teeth grindin tiny white diamonds
to moments of loss that you cannot explain

so come demon lover when the long night is through
and sing me your lullaby, simple and true
for legends will tarnish and trigger will rust
and the road over glory come to ashes and dust

forty-one thunderer, colt repeater
she's a silver-tongued wonder and a mean mistreater
six-eyed delilah, brazen and bold
now it's stand and deliver, and fire in the hole
forty-one thunderer turn loose o' my soul

forty-one thunderer turn loose o' my soul

Wow. That'll be hard to beat. Gotta get me somma that...

It's not country, but I think that Moby's "That's When I Reach For My Revolver" is pure dogs.

Once I had my heroes
Once I had my dreams
But all of that is changed now
The truth begins again
The truth is not that comfortable, no
Mother taught us patience
The virtues of restraint
Father taught us boundaries
The knowledge we must go
I'm trying to protect my unity

That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when it all gets blown away
That's when I reach for my revolver
The spirit passes by this way

A friend of mine once told me
His one and only aim
To build a giant castle
And in it sign his name
Sign it with complete community

That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when it all gets blown away
That's when I reach for my revolver
The spirit passes by this way

Now that the sky is empty
And that is nothing new
Instead they look upon us
When they tell me
That we're nothing
I say!

That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when it all gets blown away
That's when I reach for my revolver
The spirit passes by this way

That's when I reach for my revolver
That's when it all gets blown away
That's when I reach for my revolver
The spirit passes by this way

I personally like this one: "God Gave Me a Gun" by Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers

Military issue
now I can trust you're never gonna
raise another fist at me again
this is how I'll kiss you
hollow-tip to tissue
stronger than the sword and
so much faster than the pen

Fare thee well to the infidel
your God's name's not spelled the same

God gave me a gun
God gave me a gun
might makes right now
whom shall we smite now
bullet through the barrel
thy will be done
God gave me a gun

Screaming of the engines
bringing down the vengeance
hell from the heavens is state of the art
tell the ones you love
that the hawk's killed the dove
and I can save your soul
with a bullet through the heart
Fare thee well to the infidel
your God's name's not spelled the same
God gave me a gun
God gave me a gun
might makes right now
whom shall we smite now
bullet through the barrel
thy will be done
God gave me a gun
God gave me a gun

Made me in his image
bade me do some damage
now the grapes of wrath
are ripe on the vine
kill to make us holy
kill to make us free
take an eye for an eye
and make the whole world blind

Repeat Chorus

I've got Sixteen Horsepower running through my head pretty much every time I play dogs.  Here's an appropriate sample from their Secret South CD.

Lovely lovely Carol Sue
I see the heel of the Father
Crush the head of the serpent for you
And that beast who found
His way up to your room
You know the one the one
Who's colors are never true
Yeah you do

Yet all the while 'neath
His banner you did stand
'Neath the shadows of his wings
Do you remember?

Sorrow stands near and close at hand
Sorrow stands an in sorrow's hand
The burning ember

He'll come a cinder
Fire call the kettle black
The dark can only hinder it
Will not hold you back
Nor tear you asunder

And the good Shepherd
Lo he left all the others
An went to look for you
Yes and he did find thee
An with bruised hands
He did unbind thee
Brought you out
Into the light of day

He'll come a cinder
Fire call the kettle black
The dark can only hinder it
Will not hold you back
Nor tear you asunder

O come and stand with me mother
As we wait for the Master's voice
And head that way together

He'll come a cinder
Fire call the kettle black
The dark can only hinder it
Will not hold you back
Nor tear you asunder

Ben wrote:
It's not country, but I think that Moby's "That's When I Reach For My Revolver" is pure dogs.