Summer Of '76 Lyrics

It was the summer of '76, bicentennial at the church.
Momma sold most all our clothes and always had since my birth.
And dad he preached those folks right to their feet 'til tears were streaming down their face.
The spirit moved through each and every pew, I prayed to God I'd die that day, die that day.

And the wise say not to walk through the graves for fear that the ground will take your soul.
I cant hide I was curious inside and I made those graves my second home, my second home.

My daddy's footsteps laid out for me, I dreamed of priest at 17.
Miss Natalie took the boy right out of me, in that grave yard behind that country church.
She looked to me and said, forget your ministry, this is the greatest sin save birth.
She starts to cry as she holds me tight and says I hope your hell my love was worth.

And the wise say not to walk through the graves for fear that the ground will take your soul.
I knelt down right there on the ground and prayed to god my soul to take, my soul to take.

If its a crime then, I don't know why cuz, her nakedness was god to me.
All through the night we just held each other tight sure we'd both lost the kingdom keys.
Said its a long way home from here, I'd be proud to walk you all the way.
She said the farmers wives will hear and somehow turn our love to shame.

She said the wise say not to walk through the graves for fear that the ground will take your soul.
We laid down, right there on the ground and lost our soul at 17, age 17.

Yeah, the wise say not to walk through the graves for fear that the ground will take your soul.
1993 they buried miss Natalie in that grave yard behind that country church.
That old country church

(Thanks to John for these lyrics)