Cursed Neck

I used to be a preacher, walked the higher ground
Fire was my sermon, brimstone was abound
My congregation feared me as feared the Lord Himself
I was a man of power, I was a man of wealth
But I had a weakness, I broke a deadly sin
The fourth of seven big ones, her name was Sally Lynn
Ol' Sally had a husband, an influential man
She loved him for his money and Sally had a plan
I heard the demons beckon, I saw that evil grin
I looked the devil in the eye, he whispered Sally Lynn
He filled my heart with lust and before I could object
Sent me to that riverbank to find that curs’d neck
I swear I was a Christian, I swear I lived the word
Til' Sally came a-callin', then faith became absurd
Ol' Sally said she’ll love me in ways I’d never know
But first she needed help, her husband had to go
Well I didn’t wanna do it, I knew it wasn’t right
But Sally was convincin' as she held me through the night
I woke up in the mornin', troubled from the start
I went out searchin' for him with murder in my heart
I heard the demons beckon, I saw that evil grin
I looked the devil in the eye, he whispered Sally Lynn
He filled my heart with lust and before I could object
Sent me to that riverbank to find that curs’d neck
Found him by the river where I’d baptised him before
Grabbed him by his curs’d neck then left him by the shore
Ran back home to Sally to prove the deed was done
But she was with another man and this man had a gun
Ol' Sally called the sheriff right after I had gone
She played a dirty game, she used me as her pawn
I didn’t get a trial or a moment to reflect
They took me to the cypress tree and cursed my wounded neck
I heard the demons beckon, I saw that evil grin
I looked the devil in the eye, he whispered Sally Lynn
He filled my heart with lust and before I could object
Sent me to that riverbank to find that curs’d neck