The Devil's Real
Chris Smither Lyrics

The devil ain't a legend, the devil's real
The evil is not just an imaginative being, but a real force that exists in the world

In the empty way he touched me, where I hardly feel
The devil influences people in such a subtle way that it's barely noticeable, making them feel hollow inside

In the empty hole inside me, the nothing that'll ride me
The emptiness felt inside can drive someone to let the evil take over their life

Down into my grave, it does not heal
The effects of the devil's manipulation last even beyond death

Nothing is as something, it'll suck you dry
The evil can turn the smallest things into daunting tasks, making someone feel drained

As the whisper you can hardly hear that tells you why.
The devil's voice can be a faint murmur that persuades someone to do wrong

They told me "You ain't got no problems, you're self-deceived"
People may deny the existence of the devil and the problems it causes in someone's life

These seeming contradictions, well they make believe
Their false assumption that everything is alright is just a fabrication

It was then that I decided my life was being guided
The realization of their denial prompted them to take charge of their own life

By a second-rate dependence on first-class thieves
They were relying on dishonest people who took advantage of them

They told me I was breaking through, I was breaking down
The same people who misled them once now proclaimed to be helping them

By the time I learned the difference they had long left town.
The truth was revealed too late, and the deceivers had already moved on

You know that they ain't so malicious, they ain't mean
The people who mislead them had good intentions, although misguided

They're just vaguely well-intentioned with no love I've seen
Their intentions may be in the right place, but lack the sincerity that comes with love

And it's the emptiness that kills you, cold comfort that'll fill you
The emptiness they feel inside them can be replaced by actions that give temporary comfort, but lead to more emptiness

With a sense of dread that maybe things are worse than they seem
The feeling of emptiness may hint that the situation might be worse than it appears

They don't tell you nothing you don't already know
The people who mislead them didn't tell them anything they weren't aware of already

They just keep holding out the promise but they don't let go
They keep dangling the possibility of a better future, but never truly give it to them

You know they don't let go.
They will hold onto the possibility of a better future, although they never give it to them

Well, it was hard luck and trouble, bad times too
Their past was filled with hardships and difficult times

I know I had 'em coming, but I got through
They acknowledge that some of their problems were self-inflicted, but managed to overcome them

It was advice that you gave me in a dream that saved me
A dream led them to receive helpful advice that turned their life around

You said "Get a new life contract that spells out your dues."
The advice was to overhaul their life and establish clear expectations on what they have to do

Took good will to find it, a clear conscience to sign it
It took a strong will and a guilt-free conscience to make the necessary changes and live up to those expectations

Now I dream about the good times and it all comes true.
They now experience positive feelings and see their dreams become a reality