Lyrics
The gallows stand, stark in the sun
Wood splintered rough, where the hangman's done
The chapel bells, they toll their song
One for the sinner, one for the wrong
A preacher's prayer, a judge's decree
Two hands of justice, neither sets free
A Bible's words, a rope's cruel twist
Both leave shadows, long as the mist
The noose and the cross, they both take their toll
Neither saves a body, neither spares a soul
When the law and the faith come to call
Mercy ain't welcome, no mercy at all
In darkness they gather, whispers ignite
Debating the cost of the wrongs and the rights
The cross bears silence, the rope swings low
Both seal the fates of those who walk slow
The noose and the cross, they both take their toll
Neither saves a body, neither spares a soul
When the law and the faith come to call
Mercy ain't welcome, no mercy at all
A voice in the crowd cries, "Who's to blame?"
The preacher bows his head, the judge feels no shame
Blood on the altar, dirt on the ground
One truth in this town—it's death that's found
The noose and the cross, they both take their toll
Neither saves a body, neither spares a soul
When the law and the faith come to call
Mercy ain't welcome, no mercy at all