I was gettin' down the road
Been broke for quite a spell
When I came across the devil
Down by the wishin' well.
He said, "Boy, I'm gonna help ya'
I got a deal you can't refuse
I'm gonna' solve all your problems,
Gonna' end your worldly blues."

He said, "Now I can get ya' money,
Get ya' power, get ya' fame.
I can get any woman ya' want
To beg down and cry your name.
Yeah, I can get ya' all ya' ask for,
And all you gotta' do,
Is to kick back and enjoy it
And quit lookin' for the truth."

I said, "Hey there, Mr. Devil
Maybe I can be sold
'Cause harps, halos and streets o' gold
Must get pretty old.
But I think I'll take my chances.
I'm gettin' closer to the truth
And I'm gonna find some answers
Before I sell out to you."

He said, "Boy, then let me bet ya'
I get your soul if you don't win.
But if I lose you get everything you want
And I'll overlook all your sins.
It's just a friendly little wager
But the truth you must deduce.
Is it Krishna, Marx, Mohammed,
Buddha, Jesus Christ or Zeus?"

I said, "You got a deal, Mr. Devil"
Shook his hand and tried to think
Then I said, "Let's head on into town
I'm gonna' buy you a drink.
I'm gonna' answer by example
'Cause in my own personal view
The only thing makes any sense
Is the good old Golden Rule.

"Yeah, it's those dogmatised opinions
Draggin' down Humankind.
Keepin' people in their places
Stickin' dogma in their lives.
Like in the Middle East and Ireland
They all got God on their side,
And they justify their killin'
Cause God says 'It's all right'"

The devil said, "That ain't no answer, boy"
And pointed down the well
Then he said, "I'll cast your a__ down there
If you try to renege on our deal.
I'll get your soul and you'll get nothin'
So stallin' ain't no use
Is it Krishna, Marx, Mohammed
Buddha, Jesus Christ or Zeus?"

I said, "Now just a minute, Mr. Devil,
No single answer's right
I mean, what kinda' God needs adulation
To help Him sleep at night?
God's gotta be more than fair
And there's no limit to His love
So the answer, Mr. Devil,
Must be all of Thee above.'"

"It ain't some dogmatised opinion
Gonna' get us any higher.
Yeah, it ain't no fancy ritual
Gonna' save us from no fire.
And it ain't some two-faced TV preacher
Who swears he's so d___ed right,
Sayin' 'God forgives the sinner
So capital punishment is quite all right.'

"I say the Lord doesn't make distinctions
Between the Christians and the Jews
Moslems, Commies, Moonies,
Buddhists or Hindus.
We're all in this together,
We all got the Golden Rule,
You gotta' do unto others
As you'd have 'em do to you.

"Seems every dogmatised opinion
Says the others are made o' lies.
They all got different notions
'Bout what it's like in Paradise.
They say the only way to get there
Is to follow their advice,
Or their God He will destroy you
If you don't agree they're right.

"I say we're all in this together
We all lose or we all win
And as sure as we're here today
We're gonna' be born again.
We're all in this together
So go by the Golden Rule
Make the world a better place
To be born back into."

The devil scowled and stomped his hoof
And sealed up the well.
Then he said he'd had his fingers crossed
When we shook hands on our deal.
He wouldn't give me any satisfaction
Wouldn't even say if I was right,
He just said, "Boy you been cheatin',
And I'll get you back next time."

See also:
JustSomeLyrics
58
58.29
Fergie Finally (Live) Lyrics
John O'banion I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love Lyrics