Black River Killer
Blitzen Trapper Lyrics

It was just a little while past the Sunset Strip
The location was close to the Sunset Strip

They found the girl's body in an open pit
The body of a girl was discovered in an uncovered hole

Her mouth was sewn shut, but her eyes were still wide
The girl had her lips stitched together while her eyes were open wide

Gazing through the fog to the other side
The girl was looking through the fog to the other side

They booked me on a whim and threw me deep in jail
I was arrested on a whim and thrown into jail

With no bail, sitting silent on a rusty pail
I was locked up without bail and remained quiet on a rusty pail

Just gazing at the marks on the opposite wall
I stared at the markings on the opposite wall

Remembering the music of my lover's call
I recalled my lover's voice and their melody

So you make no mistake
Make no error

I know just what it takes
I understand what it takes

To pull a man's soul back from heaven's gates
To bring someone back from death's door

I've been wandering in the dark about as long as sin
I've been aimlessly wandering for a very long time

But they say it's never too late to start again
It is believed that it's never too late to begin anew

Oh when, oh when
Questioning when something will happen

Will the spirit come a-callin' for my soul to send
Will my spirit be beckoned to the afterlife

Will the keys to the kingdom be mine again?
Will I once again have access to power and authority?

It was dark as the grave, it was just about three
It was pitch black outside, around three o'clock

When the warden with his key came to set me free
The warden arrived with a key to release me

They gave me five dollars and a secondhand suit
I was given five dollars and a used suit

A pistol and a hat and a worn out flute
I received a pistol, a hat, and a badly damaged musical instrument

So I took a bus down to the Rio Grande
I got on a bus heading towards the Rio Grande

And I shot a man down on the edge of town
I killed a man on the outskirts of town

Then I stole me a horse and I rode it around
Next, I stole a horse and traveled around on it

'Til the sheriff pulled me in and sat me down
Until the sheriff apprehended and questioned me

He said, you make no mistake
The sheriff's warning to me

I know just what it takes
He knew what it took

To pull a man's soul back from heaven's gates
To bring someone back from the brink of death

Well the sheriff let me go with a knife and a song
The sheriff freed me with nothing but a weapon and a tune

So I took the first train up to Oregon
I boarded the first train heading to Oregon

And I killed the first man that I came upon
I murdered the first person I saw

'Cause the devil works quick, you know it don't take long
The devil is very efficient and fast

Then I went to the river for to take a swim
I went to the river to swim

You know that black river water is as black as sin
The river water was as black as sin

And I washed myself clean as a newborn babe
I cleaned myself thoroughly

And then I picked up a rock for to sharpen my blade
I found a rock to sharpen my weapon

Will that black river water wash me clean again
Questioning whether the river water will cleanse me again