(B. Walkenhorst)

On the day that I was born

Cross the plain come a red dust storm

First the wind, then the rain

Streaks of blood down the windowpane

Hole in the roof, leak on the bed

Bad baptism on the baby's head

Mama cried the curse is come

The mark of the reddleman's on my son

Reddleman coming

He's coming for me

Reddleman coming

Learn to crawl, learn to eat

Walk and talk that double-speak

Hide my heart and show my hand

Listen in the dark for the reddleman

He come selling that dirt that stain your soul

Saying this don't hurt anyone at all

Just sink your eyes into little girl lost

But don't waste your time, it don't wash off

CHORUS

Late in life I fell in love uptown

With a one-armed woman who'd been around

I said how my love did you lose your hand

She said a pound of flesh for the reddleman

A daughter born, a father sees

There's a red in the thread of the web he weaves

Clean his clothes in the holy font

But the rank of the reddle come back to haunt

CHORUS

Red hawk sits on a telephone pole

Watch to see which way I go

When I fall and when I stand

And tells it all to the reddleman