[m/l van Dyk]

Peter and Mary, drive cross-country
Entering Desperation, Nevada
Red lights flash and their destines changed
As the patrol car pulls behind them

Collie Etrangian, arm of the law
Stops them and searches the back of their car
There in the trunk, some drugs in a bag
And they find themselves arrested

Pulled them over, to the side of the road
With a body that's bloated and bursting; too old
"We'll get this sorted out in Desperation

Tak!

Hated is burning, under his skin
And an evil power that eats from within
He bleeds from his eyes as he drives them by
The biggest mine in North America

Technology working anew in the depths
The soul of the mine now disturbed from its rest
Answers will be found in Desperation

There's a little dead girl, lying on the steps of the jail
And Collie guns down Peter as he stares into her eyes
The Carver family hears the shot from the cell
And wonders why their daughter had to die

Ralph and Ellie Carter, and their son, David, too
Staring from within the cell like animals in a zoo
Something brought them here to Desperation

With them is Tom, the only one from the town
His alcoholic's spirit is beaten and worn down
And Mary joins this group in Desperation.