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