There was a California earthquake in the year of '83 It shook the living daylights out of the Owens County Seat There weren't a building still left standing when the dust had cleared away Just a rumble in the distance all the way to San Andrea Sherman Buck was driving his old mule into town When a big one came and shook so hard that it knocked him to the ground Lord there opened up a hole so big he thought his time was up Lord it swallowed up that poor old mule and it just missed Sherman Buck California earthquake you just don't know what you've done We may fall off in the ocean Lord you'll never make us run You're a partner of the devil Lord we ain't afraid of him We'll build ourselves another town so you can tear it down again [Dobro] Then came the quake of '99 that levelled Mission Creek The earth was like an ocean churning with waves of twenty feet Lord it sounded like a thousand trains were screaming underground Clean across to San Joachim they heard that mournful sound California earthquake you just don't know what you've done... Then came one day the holocaust Lord on rocks of Franciso Bay Miles of walls came down like old Jericho that day Might near everything the earthquake missed a holy fire consumed Just left 'em smoke and the ashes of the dreams that can't be ruined California earthquake you just don't know what you've done... Lord we'll build ourselves another town you can tear it down again