THE SKY ABOVE, THE MUD BELOW.
(Tom Russell)

Two men rode in from the south, a rainy autumn night.
    The sky above and the mud below.
They walked into the Deacon's Bar; they were Mexican by sight.
    The sky above and the mud below.
They threw a horsehair bridle down. "We trade this for whisky rounds."
The deacon slams a bottle down. Two men start to drinkin'.

Their hair was long and black, tied up behind their ears.
    The sky above and the mud below.
Their faces were identical like one man beside a mirror.
    The sky above and the mud below.
Then someone whispers, "That beats all. Their wanted poster's on the wall.
Twin brothers' name of Sandoval, horse thieves from Boheious."

Now the bridle and the belts they wore, braided gray and black,
    The sky above and the mud below.
The color of a roan horse once belonged to Deacon Black.
    The sky above and the mud below.
The fastest horse for miles around, he'd been stolen from the old fairground.
A month ago outside of town, we tracked but never found him.

Now the deacon was a preacher who'd fallen hard from grace.
    The sky above and the mud below.
He owned the bar and a string of quarter horses that he'd race.
    The sky above and the mud below.
Yet Deacon he could drink and curse though he still quoted sacred verse.
He was sheriff, judge, he owned the hearse. A man you did not anger.

The sky above and the mud below.
The wind the rain the sleet the snow
Two horse thieves from Mexico
Drinking hard and singing.

One brother he spoke English. Deak inquires as to their work.
    The sky above and the mud below.
The man says, "Mister, we braid horsehair bridles, ropes, and quirks.
    The sky above and the mud below.
Yeah, that fine bridle we did make our own horse killed by a leg-bone break.
He's horsehair rope now, horse-meat steak. We cleaned him to the bone.

Well, these gentlemen they were ignorant or didn't know just where they were.
    The sky above and the mud below.
The deacon's face grew darker, as he measured every work.
    The sky above and the mud below.
"You horsehair-braiding sons of bitches stole my claim to earthly riches.
Someone go and dig a ditch. There may well be a hanging."

One brother reached inside his shirt a-searching for his gun.
    The sky above and the mud below.
Too late for Deak had whipped around his sawed-off Remington.
    The sky above and the mud below.
The twins they raised their hands and sneered. Deak was grinning ear to ear.
He says, "Court's in session. Hear ye, hear. yours truly is presiding."

Well, the trial commenced and ended quick. They didn't have a hope.
    The sky above and the mud below.
Deak says, "We'll cut your hair now, boys, and you can braid yourselves a rope.
    The sky above and the mud below.
The Old Testament it says somewhere 'eye for eye and hair for hair.'
Covet not thy neighbor's mare. I believe it's Revelations.

Now the fancy horsehair bridle, it hangs on deacon's wall,
    The sky above and the mud below.
Next to that wanted poster of the brothers Sandoval.
    The sky above and the mud below.
And the twisted rope so shiny black, the artefact that broke their necks.
Their craftsmanship he did respect. They should have stuck to braiding.

The sky above, the mud below.
The wind and rain the sleet the snow
The deacon's hearse is rolling slow
In the first blue light of morning.

How is it played? This is popular opinion. I changed it around a bit and I think it's how Tom Russell played it on Songs of the West.

(Am) Two men rode in (C) from the south, one rainy autumn (Am) night
(The sky a(G)bove, the mud be(Am)low)
They walked into the (C) deacon's bar. They was Mexican by (Am) sight
(The sky a(G)bove, the mud be(Am)low)
They (C) threw a horsehair (G) bridle down (Dm) we trade this for (Am) whiskey rounds
The (C) deacon (G) slammed a (F) bottle (Em) down,
The (Em) two men (Em/G) start to (Am) drinkin'

Es