the hand of death and the hand of life
go walking together side by side
they turn and look each other right in the eye
death says I bet you I won't blink
life says let’s make it interesting
the hand of death plays Stackolee
so the hand of life plays Billy D
they’re playing cards on Christmas eve
when Stack bets his stetson hat
Billy throws down five twenties on that
when Billy plays a flush, Stack gets sore
and his hand gets hot on his 44
Billy takes a bullet, then he takes five more
and Stack just laughs with delight
to see Billy dead on Christmas night
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Delia lives her life between the hands
Stack is her brother, Billy is her man
she’s cooking in a kitchen off of South Grand
trying to make a life with Billy
she’s nursing a new born baby
when Delia hears that Billy’s dead
the words catch fire and burn in her head
she runs to the courthouse seeing red
tells the judge Stack shot Billy
and everyone in St Louis knows he’s guilty
the judge says what you want me to do?
Stack’s bigger then me, and he’s meaner than you
ain’t no telling what the hand of death will do
better let your brother be
I ain’t messing with cruel Stackolee
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Delia says judge, you got blood on your hands
if that’s your law, then your law be damned
I had about as much as a woman can
and I ain’t about to let it be
I ain’t afraid of cruel Stackolee
so Delia walks into the Tick Tock bar
and she don't have to look around too far
cause Stackolee is laughing and drinking hard
like he doesn't have a care in the world
he says Delia Lee come on over here girl
he pours a glass of gin, and he pours another
Delia throws it back, says god damn you brother
Stack swears by Jesus and the holy father
I ain’t never seen you looking so wrong
he grins at her and sings along
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Stackolee never sees it coming
Delia has a knife whose blade is humming
when she stabs it in his gut where his blood is drumming
a smile curves across her mouth
as Stackolee’s blood is pouring out
Stack had drunk about a bottle of gin
and he don't feel nothing when the blade goes in
lightning flash, when she strikes again
and Delia Lee hits the mark
she drives steel through his demon heart
time stands still at the Tick Tock bar
when the hand of death falls down hard
at Delia’s feet, Stack breaks apart
like a curse has just been broken
undone by a righteous woman
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
Delia, Delia, your man is gone
credits
from Light Behind Light,
released April 15, 2022
Musicians:
Kagey Parrish - Guitar, Vocals
Laura Wortman - Guitar, Vocals
Nick Sjostrom - Drums, Piano
Alex Lacquement - Upright Bass
Virginia born, Maryland based singer/songwriters Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish make up the duo The Honey Dewdrops. They will release their seventh album, Light Behind Light, on April 15, 2022.
The Alabama duo's fifth album exults in dusty Americana, showcasing rich vocal harmonies alongside blissful folk instrumentation. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 31, 2024
Cara Beth Satalino's delicately melodic yet resilient indie folk songs sparkle with lyrical wit and hard-won wisdom. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 10, 2024
The instrumentation and songwriting in this album is really top-tier. Aofie is one of my favorite folk/alt-country artists and she performs wonderfully, bringing her unique tone of voice to this project. This album was my first step into Aofie's artistry, and is firmly one of my favorite albums. rileyridgway