I had a good friend
In my hometown
Early this morning
They layed him in the ground

He was my brother
I won't tell you his name
He was a junky
For whiskey and cocaine

Oh, no, he's dead an' cold
Don't go down the dead man's road!
The dead man's road!

I hear you're out there, sayin
"It won't happen to me"
'Cause it feels good an that makes that
So easy to believe

My friend was young an' strong
Like everybody else
I began to understand
When I got there myself

All the goodtime losers
They knew my name
Just small-time users
Waiting on a train

I danced with the devil
He tried to get my soul
I didn't recognized him
On the dead man's road

Oh, no he's dead an' cold
Don't go down the dead man's road!
The dead man's road!

I cheated on my woman
An' I cheated myself
I cheated my mother and my father
Everybody else

I came to know Jesus
An' he saved my soul
Changed my direction
From the dead man's road

Oh, no he's dead an' cold
Don't go down the dead man's road!
The dead man's road!