In the shade of the cottonwood tree
Sat a boy called Blue Docherty
His feet were bare and the undersides were black
Like the hobo stick bandana that he carried on his back
My baby my baby I'm gonna tell you a story
My baby my baby I'm gonna make you sleepy
My baby my baby you better listen good
In his bundle Blue had a lucky charm
A trinket he made from a gator's arm
The poor old beast had tried to go his way
But Blue had felt a bit sadistic on that day
My baby my baby I'm gonna tell you a story
My baby my baby I'm gonna make you sleepy
My baby my baby you better listen good
In the bayou Blue tried to wash his hair
He hadn't seen the one armed gator there
It pulled him under straight in a deathly roll
His body rapidly was parted from its soul
♪
My baby my baby I'm gonna tell you a story
My baby my baby I'm gonna make you sleepy
My baby my baby you better listen good
It's true the hare outran the tortoise
But you know how that one ends
I told the story I won't tell it again
So close your eyes and slip away to Nightmare Land
And keep your senses sharp for gators out there with one hand