Reason to Believe

[Verse 1: Michael Penn]

Seen a man standing over a dead dog

Down by the highway in a ditch

He's looking down kind of puzzled

Poking that dog with a stick

Got his car door flung open

He's standing out on Highway 31

Like if he stood there long enough

That dog'd get up and run

[Chorus: Michael Penn]

Struck me kind of funny

Seemed kind of funny, sir, to me

Still at the end of every hard day

People find some reason to believe

[Verse 2: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn]

Now, Mary Lou loved Johnny

With a love mean and true

She said, "Baby, I'll work for you every day

And bring my money home to you"

One day, he up and left her

And ever sincе that

She waits down at the end of that dirt road

For young Johnny to comе back

[Chorus: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn]

Struck me kinda funny

Funny, yeah, indeed

How at the end of every hard-earned day

You can find some reason to believe

[Verse 3: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn]

Take a baby to the river

Kyle William, they called him

Wash the baby in the water

Take away little Kyle's sin

In a whitewashed shotgun shack

An old man passes away

Take the body to the graveyard

And over him they pray

[Chorus: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn]

Lord, won't you tell us

Tell us, what does it mean?

At the end of every hard-earned day

People find some reason to believe

[Verse 4: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn, Michael Penn]

Congregation gathers

Down by the riverside

Preacher stands with his Bible

Groom stands waiting for his bride

Congregation gone

The sun sets behind a weeping willow tree

Groom stands all alone and watches

The river rush on effortlessly

[Chorus: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn]

Wondering where can his

Baby be

Still at the end of every hard-earned day

People find some reason to believe