Snider, Todd - The Devil You Know Lyrics
Helicopters over the house again
We got the projects two or three blocks from here
They pull these kids over for Driving-While-African
And the ones that got the warrants always run in fear
I sit here waiting for the coast to clear
Turn on the news and what do I hear?
Some kid shot the bank up on Gallatin Road
Ran away from the cops while he was trying to reload
He beat them up to Eastland Street on feet
Now he's probably reloaded and running down my street
I better turn the alarm on and lock myself in
Helicopters over the house again
Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you gonna sneak below
And facing the devil you know
This poor kid probably never had a chance to give a fuck
He wouldn't know good luck from a debutante
He's got to find a way to be Steve McNair or Young Buck
Or he's just tough luck looking for a prison to haunt
And you can fuck getting any kind of job you want
Unless you really want to work in a fast food restaurant
And who wants to do that? Do you want to do that?
I wouldn't trade that for my crooked hat
Or my gang or my gun or my waist full of pagers
For a job deep-frying shit, for richer teen agers
If that's where it's at and no one's gonna help
How you gonna blame a man for helping himself?
There is a war going on the poor can't win
Helicopters over the house again
Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know
Black and white cops shining lights in the bushes
I can't see how this kid is gonna get very far
Unless he finds a way to make it back over to Barry Street
And he can't do that unless he steals a car
The way things are, they don't seem right
It's all these white people talking 'bout some hope and light
There ain't no hope in Sam Levy, there's just guns and drugs
We ain't building bridges we're just training thugs
And then I hear this terrifying kick at my back door
In walks this kid, I say "I've seen this kid before"
I see him all the time at that bar on Woodland Street
And now he's bleeding in my kitchen tracking blood off his feet
And he's looking at me like I'll either help him or die
Until he sees in my eyes that I'm on his side
I hand him my keys, I say "You better move fast
"There's a J in the ashtray and plenty of gas"
He throws me his cash, he says "I'll be back for this"
I say "Yeah? Well don't be surprised if there's a little bit of it missing"
His gold teeth glistened with a big old grin
He said "We'll talk about that when I see you again"
He shook my hand, I shook his back
I felt like I was 'bout to have a heart attack
Until he finally drove away I thought "Goddamn"
Helicopters over my house again
Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Snider, Todd - Precious Little Miracles
- Snider, Todd - Bring 'Em Home
- Snider, Todd - Doll Face
- Snider, Todd - America's Favorite Pastime
- Snider, Todd - Greencastle Blues
- Snider, Todd - Slim Chance
- Snider, Todd - Is This Thing On?
- Snider, Todd - Dividing The Estate (A Heart Attack)
- Snider, Todd - Stuck On The Corner (Prelude To A Heart Attack)
- Snider, Todd - Corpus Christi Bay
- Snider, Todd - The Last Laugh
- Snider, Todd - West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown
- Snider, Todd - New York Banker
- Snider, Todd - In The Beginning
- Snider, Todd - Good Fortune
- Snider, Todd - Money, Compliments, Publicity (Song Number Ten)
- Snider, Todd - Don't Tempt Me
- Snider, Todd - Barefoot Champagne
Rand Lyrics
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Snider, Todd The Devil You Know Comments
What a great line
7 years ago
WillieJoe posted,
'Gotta say, "The best 4 minutes and 36 seconds all day!" '. For me it was the 2nd best 4min 36 sec, if you know what I mean. Todd Snider has been my favorite songwriter since he came out with "Talkin Seattle Grunge Rock Blues", way back when. he is so clever and funny!
Love it man, the message in the music is on point. If it don't make you want to turn it up, turn it off.
Keep doing what you do todd, I'll listen and turn it up as loud as I can. 🤠✌🎼🎶
There’s a jay in the ashtray and plenty of gas.. I don’t think I ever heard that line and not smile.
Luv u Brother. You make Life Good
Seriously! Did he live with us?
Just brilliant - Ace
Fuck yeah this guy is amazing!!!
He has to be the most down-to-earth person in the music industry. I love that he tells stories in his songs, about crazy shit he's experienced, and that he still surrounds himself with "lower" class people. Middle and upper class people don't experience life quite the same as poor people. Not having money makes people creative and risk-taking, which means you do crazy shit sometimes. Shit that makes people laugh.
Coulden´t say better then you did, lacrymal1
I've been a Todd Snider fan for 10ish years. Since I was 11 or so. I've seen him every year without fail, and I know every song by heart. Love you Todd!
Yet there are poorer people in other countries still respectable! Only in America can this crap be popular! SMH!
Just fuck you
lol tell'em Linda
linda kelley oh god. That made my night.
When your profile name is based off a career path you weren't smart enough to follow but you still think it's ok to judge people for trying to be happy while you work at McDonald's. You psuedointelllectual wanna be
MY LIFE>>>>
Much enjoynment listening to his lyric s I dhould like him
This guy is awesome. I saw him open up for Jimmy Buffet at least 20 years ago.
Love that line - "Somewhere between believin' in heaven...and facin' the devil you know!"
Shit - this guy is so good. Are you going to wear the paper hat? I'm not - fuck you. Sometimes you rise above it - there's a jay in the ashtray and plenty of gas!!!
I hope he comes back to Spokane soon. I wasn't able to see him play last time he was here because he played at a 21+ club.
had a fake i.d. when i was 16 the only time i seen you man, in arkansas. wish you would come back. a mix between prine and kris....with way better jokes
this guy is beyond terrible!
proficy7 look at your profile
This guy is AWESOME!!
Finally an artist that gets it and isn't afraid to say so.
Todd always has a really good point!
Pure f'kin genius!
dont post that on this vid. everyone who has read it has seen it :)
Good shit!
why the fuck doesn't this song have more views, the fuck is wrong with y'all.
@ClearSkyDay didn't Cash, he do some cocain and shoot his wife in one of his songs? JR was a man of God too
Todd's song did remind me of Roger Miller
@pabloescobar5 why do you listen then?
yeah........ its time for some bloody anthrax to fix my ears
@pabloescobar5 I think it very well may be the best message I've ever heard from a song.
@madtownstu oh, they are. Living Legend.
YEAH ITS ORIGINAL AND TODD SNIDER IS THE BEST SONG WRITER OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS!!!!
If those lyrics are original, which I believe they are?, this guy is epic.
singing bout my neighborhood, true dat...
Gotta say, "The best 4 minutes and 36 seconds all day!"
shame only 12k people have seen this really
Watched this one over and over and over.
that was soo bad-ass. The guy is simply great
Todd for PRESIDENT! LMAO!
That would be fun!
Come to calgary dammit!
Would you wanna do that?
Energy, timing and truth, this guys got it!