Dan Bern - God Said No (Live)

I met a guy
On the edge of town
Where the wind meets the stillness
Where the darkness meets the light
Where the ocean meets the sky
Where the earth meets the heavens
Where the desert meets the rain
Right on the edge of town

I met
God


I asked God
Do one thing for me
Send me back in time
Send me to Seattle
Let me go
Find Kurt Cobain
Take away his gun
Take away his bullets
Talk to him
Make him wanna live
Tell him how we love him
Help him see his glory
God said...
"No
If I sent you back
If you really found him
You would only ask him
If he could
Help you get a deal
If he knows a lawyer
If he can help you"
God said no


I asked God
Do one thing for me
Send me back in time
Send me to Berlin
Let me go
Let me go find Hitler
I'll stalk him
I'll bring him down
I'll bring along
A powerful gun
Loaded with bullets
Obliterate him mem'ry
God said, "No
If I sent you back
You'd get caught up
With theory and discussion
You'd let your fears
Delay and distract you
You'd make friends
You'd take a lover"
God said no


I asked God
Do one thing for me
Send me back in time
Send me to Jerusalem
Let me go
Let me go find Jesus
I'll bring him down
From the cross
Let me save his life
As they try to kill him
Take the iron from his body
Try to heal his wounds
God said "No
If I let you go
If you really found him
You would just go dead and stare
Your tongue no longer working
Eyes no longer seeing
Ears no longer hearing"
God said, "Time
Time belongs to me
Time's my secret weapon
My final advantage"
God turned away
From the edge of town
I knew I was beaten
And that now was all I had
God said no



REASON:
It's amazing how quickly time can pass, and it only seems to pass more 
quickly when you want to hold on to it.  Here I am, fifteen days away 
from what can't be described in one word...  This is my chance, my 
exile, my escape, my future, my death sentence, my dream, my 
everything, my beginning and my end...  In the middle of August, the 
life I've lived for nineteen and a half years comes to a close, and I 
move away from everything I know to begin my new life on my own.  In a 
way, I can't wait to go, but as the day draws nearer, I can't help but 
long for more time here.  At times, I feel like that kid that's lost 
his mother in the store, alone and afraid, but then other times I feel 
like the hero at the docks, being cheered by all his people as he 
prepares to embark upon a great journey.  I just wish I had some 
control of the time that continues flowing around me, but time is 
God's business...  I just have to make due with what I have.

*Why the live version?  It just sounds so much better.  Also, the 
lyrics flow better in Dan Bern's slight changes from the original.  
The only thing I'm not sure of is if the changes were a mistake or 
purposeful, but I like the difference.