All Over Ohio - Over the Rhine

Well the rain it has been falling

Like it wants to drown us all

And the trees are gently swaying

Like they’re thinkin' ‘bout the fall

I still get shivers when I hear

You singin' down the hall

I’m gonna kiss you all over Ohio

And the starlings they were flying

Earlier today

Doing their maneuvers

Clouds of feathers on display

Makes me wanna kneel in prayer but

I’ve forgotten what to say

I’ll just name all the birds in Ohio

Now the reason I am writing

Is to tell you ‘bout the flood

Ahh, the river is so beautiful

But it leaves a load of mud

All I have now are these dirty songs

I guess they’re in my blood

They make me wander so far from Ohio

(Yeah) It’s a silly undertaking

To fly halfway ‘round the earth

With an imaginary womb of songs

Intent on giving birth

I gave all that I had to give

I’m not sure what it’s worth

Scatter the ashes right here in Ohio

All I wanna be is a thousand black birds

Bursting from a tree into the blue

Love — let it be not just a feeling

But the broken beauty

Of what we choose to do

And the halleujah chorus

Used to make my Daddy cry

I still wonder ‘bout the ruckus

Angels make up there on high

In the meanwhile there are measures

We can take to get us by

Lay me down next to you in Ohio

But my expectations stand still

Like beggars at the door

I’m flat broke from the dues

I’ve paid them all before

Gonna let the Cuyahoga

Wash me up on burning shores

Shipwrecked with you in Ohio

All I wanna be is a thousand black birds

Bursting from a tree into the blue

Love — let it be not just a feeling

But the broken beauty

Of what we choose to do

I have seen the slow corruption

Of the best ideas of Christ

In the pulpits of our nation

Gospel turned into white lies

If you preach a subtle hatred —

The bible as your alibi

Goddam you right here in Ohio

But my shameless hallucination:

He’s still knockin' at my door

And I know how this one’s gonna end

He’s gotten in before

I’ve run as fast as I can run

I’ve had to ask, What for?

He haunts me all over Ohio

All I wanna be is a thousand black birds

Bursting from a tree into the blue

Love — let it be not just a feeling

But the broken beauty

Of what we choose to do

Well the rain it has been falling

Like it wants to drown us all

And the trees are gently swaying

Like they’re thinkin' ‘bout the fall

I still get shivers when I hear

You singin' down the hall

I’m gonna kiss you all over Ohio