The clouds prepare for battle In the dark and brooding silence Bruised and sullen stormclouds Have the light of day obscured Looming low and ominous In twilight premature Thunderheads are rumbling In a distant overture All at once, the clouds are parted Light streams down in bright unbroken beams Follow men's eyes as they look to the skies The shifting shafts of shining weave the fabric of their dreams

I met a fan dancer Down in Southside Birmingham She was running from a fat man Selling salvation in his hand Now he's trying to save me When I'm doing all right The best that I can Just another fallen angel Trying to get through the night Step by step, one by one Higher and higher Step by step, rung by rung Climbing Jacob's ladder Coming over the airwaves The man says I'm overdue Sing along, send some money Join the chosen few, hey Mister, I'm not in a hurry And I don't want to be like you All I want from tomorrow Is to get it better than today Step by step, one by one Higher and higher Step by step, rung by rung Climbing Jacob's ladder All I want from tomorrow Is to get it better than today Step by step, one by one Higher and higher Step by step, rung by rung Climbing and climbing Step by step, one by one Step by step, rung by rung Step by step And step by step Step by step

There was a man of confused and sad nature Thought no one loved him, that was not true He said, he was a lost soul, didn't fit in anywhere Didn't know where to turn or who to turn to Oh, there's a lost soul coming down the road Somewhere between two worlds With an oar in his hand and a song on your lips We'll row the boat to the far shore Row the boat of the long lost soul Ever since, oh, I can remember We all tried to ease the pain Took him in when he needed some shelter Tried to make him feel he was one of us again There was one day, oh, I can remember He sat alone with a pencil in his hand All day long he drew careful on the paper In the end just a picture of a man Of the lost soul coming down the road Somewhere between two worlds With an oar in his hand and a song on your lips We'll row the boat to the far shore Row the boat of the long lost soul Oh, dear Mary, do you remember The day when we went walking downtown As I recall, it was in early December After school had just let out When I see you on the street in the twilight I may tip my hat and keep my head down Show me love but maybe I don't deserve it I've been called but not, but not found Oh, there's a lost soul coming down the road Somewhere between two worlds With an oar in his hand and a song on your lips We'll row the boat to the far shore Row the boat of the long lost soul

I can see very well There's a boat on the reef with a broken back And I can see it very well There's a joke and I know it very well It's one of those that I told you long ago Take my word I'm a madman don't you know Once a fool had a good part in the play If it's so would I still be here today It's quite peculiar in a funny sort of way They think it's very funny everything I say Get a load of him, he's so insane You better get your coat dear It looks like rain We'll come again next Thursday afternoon The In-laws hope they'll see you very soon But is it in your conscience that you're after Another glimpse of the madman across the water I can see very well There's a boat on the reef with a broken back And I can see it very well There's a joke and I know it very well It's one of those that I told you long ago Take my word I'm a madman don't you know The ground's a long way down but I need more Is the nightmare black Or are the windows painted Will they come again next week Can my mind really take it

About this time of evening, out by the bay They turn the road lights on the bridge Well, a diesel rolls in silhouette, eastbound Lovers glad the sun has set I'm staring into twilight Wishing I could find someone tonight I know she's out there somewhere On the western skyline Lonely women say a prayer On the western skyline The rooftops sag on Second Street Bachelor's quarters Too much fun, not enough dough Well, the kite's still hanging on the wire Waiting on the wind Too many dreams, not enough hope Voices on my radio Telling me where I should go I know she's out there somewhere (somewhere) On the western skyline Lonely women say a prayer (say a prayer) On the western skyline They'll set up on the bandstand When the sailors hear the whistle blow Underneath the streetlight Violence in the afterglow Give me a shiny Cadillac And close your eyes past that city limits sign Well, he's got the admiral's daughter He's got her in the back Trying to cross her battle line As I'm staring into twilight Wishing I could be with her tonight Whoa, oh I know she's out there somewhere (somewhere) On the western skyline Lonely women say a prayer (say a prayer) On the western skyline (whoa-oa!) I know she's out there somewhere On the western skyline