Whistlin' Past the Graveyard - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Coming on the night train

With an arm full of box cars

On the wings of a magpie, 'cross a hooligan night

Busted up a chifforobe

Way out by the cocomo

Cooked up a mess a mulligan and got into a fight

Whistlin' past the graveyard

Steppin' on a crack

I’m a mean motherhubbard

Papa one eyed jack

You probably seen me sleepin' out by the railroad tracks

Ask the prince of darkness 'bout the smoke from the stack

Sometimes I kill a jackal and suck out all the blood

Steal myself a station-wagon, drive it into the mud

Whistlin' past the graveyard

Steppin' on a crack

I’m a mean motherhubbard

Papa one eyed jack

I know you’ve seen my headlights and the honkin' of my horn

I’m callin' out my bloodhounds chase the devil out the corn

Last night I cracked the Mississippi now it’s dry as a bone

I was born in a taxi cab I ain’t never goin' home

Whistlin' past the graveyard

Steppin' on a crack

I’m a mean motherhubbard

Papa one eyed jack

My eyes have seen the glory

Of the drainin' of the ditch

I’m comin' to Baton Rouge

To find myself a witch

I’m gonna switch me up a couple of 'em every time it rains

You gotta see a locomotive

Probably thinkin' it’s a train

Whistlin' past the graveyard

Steppin' on a crack

I’m a mean motherhubbard

Papa one eyed jack

What you think is sunshine

Is just a twinkle in my eye

I got a ring around my finger called the 4th of July

When I get lonesome, a tear falls from my cheek

There’s gonna be an ocean in the middle of the week

Whistlin' past the graveyard

Steppin' on a crack

I’m a mean motherhubbard

Papa one eyed jack

I come in on the night train

With an arm full of box cars

On the wings of a magpie

Cross a hooligan night

I’m gonna tear off a rainbow

And wear it for a tie

I never told the truth

So how in the hell can I tell a lie

Whistlin' past the graveyard

Steppin' on a crack

I’m a mean motherhubbard

Papa one eyed jack