How's this for a bit of folk music theology--recorded by Doc Watson, who said he learned it from Charlie and Bill Monroe:


OPEN UP THEM PEARLY GATES

Come on all you sinners, if you wanna get to heaven (heaven),
You'd better get right down on your knees and pray.
All you gamblin' sinners, you'd better stop shoutin' that "Seven-eleven"
Or you won't be ready when it comes to judgement day.

Chorus:
Open up them pearly gates, open up them pearly gates,
Open up them pearly gates for me.
When you hear that trumpet blast,
I'll be comin' home at last,
Open up them pearly gates for me.

I done had a vision, I seen them pearly gates a-closin,
And I seen you sinners all outside.
Well, you better make your decision, you better hope that you'll be chosen (chosen);
It'll be too late when you've laid down and died.

You'd better go out to your chicken pen and ask yourself an honest question,
And the Good Lord, He's gonna know it if you lie.
You better turn all them chickens loose or you're gonna die of indigestion,
When you eat that stolen chicken pie.

You'd better take that keg of gin and pour it all right in the river,
And you'd better not let old Satan stay your hand,
Cuz if you fill it up again, it's gonna eat a hole right in your liver,
And the gate won't open when you get to the promised land.

--seed