On the Road to Kingdom Come
I have a live recording of this song from University of Illinois April 4, 1976 that
includes many verses not heard on the commercially released recording. The refrain was slightly different, also.
Albums
On the Road to Kingdom Come (1976)
Lyrics
These early lyrics
are from a solo benefit concert on April 4, 1976 at the University
of Illinois. This is an apparently early
version of the song and includes a whole series of verses that
never made the studio version. He said he wrote this song to insult
everyone.
Chorus:
And the smoke witch says "woo woo"
And the wizard says "me too"
And the tall man says "it's you"
So do what you do
A Ford is not a Lincoln
So resurrection fails
And Billy sells hot sermons
And cold wars through the mails
And King Kennedy like Chaucers'
Chasing Canterbury tales
So stock up your bomb shelter
Turn on your TV
And watch all the bums from kingdom come
Sing ne'er my god to thee
Well, the priests are on their pulpits
The pope is on his throne
The parishes are empty
And the choir boys on their own
Until the second coming
Yes, they're leaving us alone
And God in his heaven
Has decided to keep mum
'Cause you know he's just a traveler
On the road to kingdom come
When all is said and done
Just another one
Chorus
Oh pity our poor president
He can't do a thing
Everywhere he says he went
They tried to make him sing
Our lonely white house resident
Says we should make him king
Only then he can save us
From the fears the we're running from
'Cause you know he' just a traveler
On the road to kingdom come
When all is said and done
Just another one
The general's in the bedroom
But his soldier won't salute
Ever since he was promoted
He can't pop his shoot
His shrink says he is paranoid
'Bout communistic roots
So unfurl the flag boys
Start beating his drum
Yes, we've got another a traveler
On the road to kingdom come
When all is said and done
Just another one
Chorus
The professor said his lecture
Would assault hypocrisy
So he took off jacket
And he gave his tie to me
He was taking off his shirt
As he shouted out with glee
Come on, shuck all your pants kids
The new Eden has begun
Don't you know we're just travelers
On the road to kingdom
When all is said and done
Just another one
The girl in my drugstore
Is a pornographic dream
Dispensing her equipment
In bottles tubes and creams
Her smile is a come on
Yes she's oozing at the seams
But her brain is still a virgin
Though the rest of her's well done
Yes, we've got a another traveler
On the road to kingdom
When all is said and done
Just another one
Chorus
So I went to the barroom
To drown my troubles in a glass
I was looking for a fight
Or at least a piece of ass
After twenty bucks and midnight
You know I was falling fast
Then I thought I saw Jesus
But it was only demon rum
You know that things like that can happen
on the road to kingdom
When all is said and done
Just another one
The lead singer's raucous
As he screams out the truth
Then the band holds a caucus
And decides to sell their youth
You know our manager will hawk us
As long as we're uncouth
Come on, call it revolution
And we'll crank out bubble gum
Don't you know that were just traveler's
on the road to kingdom
When all is said and done
just another one
Chorus
Well, I staggered to the orgy
It was my last hope
I was dressed to the nines
in deodorant and scope
And I found me a woman
She'd brought Vaseline and soap
Well it started out exciting
But it ended up ho hum
She said "I thought you could take me
on the road to kingdom"
When all is said and done
just another one
Well, my brother's the New York flasher
My sisters full of zits
My mother thinks she's liberated
But she's full it
My father thinks he's full of wisdom
But he's full of shaving cream
AH, sing it to you now
Hear that old folk singer strum
Yes, we've got another traveler
on the road to kingdom
When all is a said is done
just another one
Chorus
And the moral of the story
So, Harry sits here singing
Like a prophet on a stool
He learned all the answers
when he busted out of school
Just another fancy dancer
Trying to graduate to fool
Well, momma says I'm modest
Daddy says I'm dumb
But I know I'm just a traveler
on the road to kingdom
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