Johnny Cash - To Beat the Devil lyrics

And I'd like to dedicate this
To John and June
Who helped show me how to beat the devil

It was winter time in Nashville
Down on music row
And I was looking for a place to
Get myself out of the cold
To warm the frozen feeling that
Was eating at my soul
And keep the chilly wind off me and my guitar

Well, my thirsty wanted whisky and
My hungry needed beans
But it'd been of month of paydays
Since I'd heard that eagle scream
So with a stomach full of empty
And a pocket full of dreams
I left my pride and stepped inside a bar

Actually, I guess you'd could
Call it a Tavern
Cigarette smoke to the ceiling
Sawdust on the floor friendly shadows

Well, I saw that there was just one old man
That was sitting at the bar
And in the mirror I could see
Him checking me and my guitar
An' he turned and said: "Come up here boy
And show us what you are
I said: "I'm dry" He bought me a beer

Then he nodded at my guitar and
Said: "It's a tough life, ain't it?"
I just looked at him and he
Said: "You ain't making any money
Are you?"
I said: "You've been reading my mail"
He just smiled and said: "Let
Me see that guitar
I've got something you oughta hear"
Then he laid it on me

If you waste your time a talking
To the people who don't listen
To the things that you are saying
Who do you think's going to hear
And if you should die explaining how
The things that they complain about
Are things they could be changing who
Do you think's going to care?

There were other lonely singers in a
World turned deaf and blind
Who were crucified for what
They tried to show
And their voices have been scattered by
The swirling winds of time
All the truth remains that
No-one wants to know

Well, the old man was a stranger
But I'd heard his song before
Back when failure had me locked out on
The wrong side of the door
When no-one stood behind me but
My shadow on the floor
And lonesome was more than a state of mind

You see, the devil haunts a hungry man
If you don't wanna join him
Well you gotta beat him
I ain't saying I beat the devil
But I drank his beer for nothing
And then I stole his song

And you still can hear me singing
To the people who don't listen
To the things that I am saying
Praying someone's going to hear
And I guess I'll die explaining how
The things that they complain about
Are things they could be changing
Hoping someone's going to care

I was born a lonely singer
And I'm bound to die the same
But I've got to feed the hunger in my soul
And if I never have a nickle
I won't ever die ashamed
Cause I don't believe that
No-one wants to know