©1988 CHRIS BUTLER/©1988 FUTURE FOSSIL MUSIC (BMI)
v1
WAY UP RIVER
WHERE THE WATER RUNS BLACK
COVERED IN KUDZU
IS A TAR PAPER SHACK
ALLIGATOR SKULLS
WARN KEEP AWAY
WHEN STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN 'ROUND HERE
THEM OLD FOLKS NOD AND SAY.....
CHR THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY
IS HE CRIPPLED OR CRAZY?
NOBODY KNOWS
HARLAN SAYS HE SAW HIM
BUT YOU CAN'T TRUST HARLAN
HE DRINKS THAT MASH THEY COOK UP DOWN IN THE HOLLOW....
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY
v2
FARMER JOHN'S HAND
GOT BIT BY A HORSE
IT WAS PLANTING TIME
WHAT COULD BE WORSE?
YOU KNOW IT SWELLED UP BAD
AND HIS SEED STARTED TO SPROUT
THE BANK TOLD JOHN
"GET IN THAT CROP OR GET OUT"
JOHN CRYED "LORD WHAT DO I DO NOW?"
WOKE UP IN THE MORNING AND HIS FIELD WAS PLOWED...
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY...
WHEN THEM HOUNDS START HOWLING
YOU KNOW HE'S NEAR
BET HE'S HIDING IN THEM BUSHES SOMEWHERE
WE CAN'T SEE HIM BUT WE KNOW HE'S THERE
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY...
v3
EYEBALL TO A KEYHOLE
SPIES SOME OAKIES PASSING THROUGH
TRUCK STARTS TO SPUTTER
THEY AIN'T GOT NO FOOD
SO THEY WENT TO BED HUNGRY
BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
FEELING FORSAKEN
LOST AND ALONE
IN THE MORNING OAKIE CRIED OUT "WHO DO I THANK
FOR THESE TWO FRIED CHICKENS AND MY FILLED UP TANK?"
CHR THANK THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY...
HE'S ONE PART LEGEND
TWO PARTS LIE
MOMMAS SAY "CHILDREN, NOW YOU BETTER MIND
AND EAT YOUR BEANS OR HE'LL TAN YOUR HIDE"
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY...
MID-8 DANCE DOWN AT THE GRANGE HALL
THEM DOORS FLEW OPEN AND IN HE WALKED
HE HAD HIS HAIR SLICKED BACK
A $2 SUIT
BETTY SAID TO SALLY MAE "WHY...HE'S CUTE!"
WELL, THEN HE STARTED TO DANCE
THE GIRLS WENT "OOOH!"
HE RAN OUTSIDE
DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
WE FOLLOWED HIS FOOTPRINTS DOWN TO THE EDGE OF THE BAYOU
MAN, HE VANISHED WITHOUT A TRACE
WELL, SCRIPTURE SAYS EACH OF US SHOULD STAY IN OUR PLACE
CHR AND THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
AND THAT'S JUST HIS WAY...
WHEN THEM HOUNDS START HOWLING
YOU KNOW HE'S NEAR
BET HE'S HIDING IN THEM BUSHES SOMEWHERE
WE CAN'T SEE HIM BUT WE KNOW HE'S THERE
THAT'S THAT SWAMP BOY
THAT'S JUST HIS WAY...