The Silver Tongued Devil and I

kris kristofferson

I took myself down to the Tally Ho Tavern
to buy me a bottle of beer
I sat myself down by a tender young maiden
who's eyes were as dark as her hair
and while I was searching from bottle to bottle
for something unfoolish to say
that silver tongued devil just slipped from the shadows
and smilingly stole her away

I said hey little girl don't you know he's a devil
he's everything that I ain't
hiding intentions of evil under the smile of a saint
all he's good for is getting in trouble
and slipping his share of the blame
and some people swear he's my double
and some even say we're the same
but the silver tongued devil's got nothing to lose
and I'll only live 'till I die
we take our own chances and pay our own dues
the silver tongued devil and I

like all the young ladies who've laid down beside him
she knew in her heart that he lied
but nothing that I could have said could have saved her
no matter how hard that I tried
'cause she'll offer her soul up to darkness and danger
of a world that she's never known
and open her arms at the smile of a stranger
who'll love her and leave her alone