Across the border they turn water into wine 
Some say it's the devil's blood 
They're squeezing from the vine 
Some say it's a saviour 
You see, it helps me to forget 
That we're just born to die 

I came here like so many did to find the better life 
To find my piece of easy street and finally be alive 
I knew nothing good comes easy 
All good things take some time 
I made my bed I'll lie in it 
To die in it's the crime 

You can't help but prosper 
Where the streets are paved with gold 
They say the oil wells ran deeper here 
Than anybody's known 
Now I packed up on my wife and kid 
And left them both back at home 
See there's nothing in this paydirt 
The ghosts are all I know 

Now the oil's gone 
The money's gone 
And the jobs are gone 
Still we're hangin' on 

Down in dry county 
They're swimming in the sand 
Praying for some holy water 
To wash the sins from off our hand 
Here in dry county 
The promise has run dry 
Where nobody cries 
And no one's getting out of here alive 
Not this time 

In the blessed name of Jesus, I heard a preacher say 
That we are God's children and He'd be back, back someday 
And I hoped that he knew something as he drank that cup of wine 
I didn't have too good of a feeling as I head out to the night 

I cursed the sky to open 
I begged the clouds for rain 
I prayed to God for water 
For this burning in my veins 
It was like my soul's on fire 
And I had to watch the flames 
All my dreams went up in ashes 
And my future blew away 

Now the oil's gone 
And the money's gone 
And the jobs are gone 
Still we're hangin' on 

Down in dry county 
They're swimming in the sand 
Praying for some holy water 
To wash the sins from off our hand 
Here in dry county 
The promise has run dry 
Where nobody cries 
And no one's getting out of here alive 

Men spend their whole lives 
Waiting, praying for some big reward 
It seems sometimes like payoff leaves you feeling 
Like a dirty whore 
If I could choose the way I'll die 
Make it by the gun or knife 
'Cause the other way there's too much pain 
Night after night after night 

Down in dry county 
They're swimming in the sand 
Praying for some holy water 
To wash the sins from off our hand 
Here in dry county 
The promise has run dry 
Where nobody cries 
And no one's getting out of here 
Dry county 
No one's getting out of here 
Dry county