the day the earth caught fire we stood

outside the world was laughing and

in the city square they cast umbrellas

to the sky the sun above my head

was burning greedy red the horns began

to blow "three cheers for jericho"



the first evacuee i was headed

for the sea ,i saw them the roadside refugees

the boys with bloody knees who waved

abandoned cars that lay too tired

to drive away "a world in flames today"

was all the papers had to say



run for your life the earth's caught fire

run for your life the earth's caught fire

run run run run for your life the earth's

on fire run for your life the earth's

on fire run run run



the streetcar prophet said "you thought

that god was dead-i warned you" the sinners

and the saved they fell down to their knees

and prayed believers held their breath

and stoned a witch to death the leaders

and the led said "blow the bloody reds away!"



run for your life the earth's caught fire

run for your life the earth's caught fire

run run run run for your life

the earth's on fire run for your life

the earth's on fire run run run