An angel appeared in a holy vision
Stood by my bedside in shivering light
Spoke my name, told me my mission
I could not believe I was hearing him right

'Cause he said, 'Go, my son, go, always go to
East Asheville Hardware before you go to Lowe's', he said
'Go to East Asheville Hardware before you go to Lowe's'

'You'll help to keep them open, I'm worried they might close
From the stiff competition from the National Conglomerate
With the full page ad in the color section of the Sunday paper supplement
And stacks of plastic swimming pools and seven brands of power tools
And rows and rows of registers, all having nice days'

'But no, you go', he said to me with light around his face
He said, 'You go first to that age-old place
To that old wooden door that you have to close behind you
To the wide-board wooden floor, worn down soft'

'To the real thing, a good advice, quality at the fair price
And know that they know how deep the frost goes here
I'm sure there's stuff you'll have to find at Paty's, Lowe's or Sears'

'But go to East Asheville Hardware
Go to East Asheville Hardware before it disappears'