Lyrics for Bath Tub Blues

Copyright © 1993 Brown/Feldman Publishing, except where otherwise noted
  1. "I See the Moon" [#1]
  2. "Late Night Radio"
  3. "Bathtub Blues"
  4. "Payday"
  5. "So Long, You Old Tooth"
  6. "Green Leaf"
  7. "Young Robin"
  8. "Down at the Sea Hotel"
  9. "Shake Sugaree"
  10. "Flabbergabble"
  11. "I Remember When"
  12. "Four Wet Pigs"
  13. "Monsters and Giants"
  14. "Two Little Boys"
  15. "You Might as Well Go to Sleep
  16. "I See the Moon" [#2]

"I See the Moon" [#1]

     public domain
I see the moon and the moon sees me and the moon sees the one that I long to see. So God bless the moon and God bless me and God bless the one that I long to see.

"Late Night Radio"

All across Kansas, all across Kansas in the night- We'll reach Missouri in the dawn's early light. My sister and I in the back seat don't care how far we got to go. We want to keep rolling, listening to that late night radio. Mama took the suitcases and blankets made us a little nest. Every time we peek up she says "You kids try to get a little rest." We can hear her and daddy singing, warm as the dashlight glow, In the back seat, rain for the drumbeat, listening to that late night radio. We're almost sleeping, tucking in our legs and arms. We're almost dreaming, looking through the rain at the little lights of the farms. If we get stuck in the mud, my daddy he will carry us I know. The music's coming all the way from Texas on the late night radio. Now my own children are back in that nest where I used to be. Every time they peek up, I say "You kids now try to get a little sleep," And the older girl says, "Daddy I wish we could drive all night, Just go and go- Oh I love it when it's raining can we listen to the radio? Listen to that late night radio. Can we drive all night and Daddy listen to can we drive all night now Daddy and listen to that late night radio? In the back seat, rain for the drum beat, listen to that late night radio? In the back seat, rain for the drum beat, listen to that late night radio. Coming all the way from Texas, Oh that late night radio. In the back seat, rain for the drum beat, listen to that late night radio. Oh I love it, I love it , I love it, Love it when it's raining Can we go and go and go and go and go and go and go and .... Listen to that late night radio. Can we go and go and go and go and go and?"

"Bathtub Blues"

I get so dirty, I get so dirty, I get so dirty, I get so dirty, I get so dirty, Gotta take a bath every night. I wash my nose, scrub my toes, Oh-oh Mama, forgot to take off my clothes. Now I'm swish-swish-swishin', splash, splash, splashin', goosh, goosh, gooshin', slipping and a-sliding, running down the hallway- My Mama's coming after me Papa's coming after me The dog is coming after me I'm afraid they're going to catch me Ob boy, am I in trouble- down the hall I go I fell asleep. I fell asleep. I was lying in the bathtub and I fell asleep. Such a nice warm bathtub, I fell asleep. Such a nice warm bathtub, I fell ... When I woke up in the morning I had turned into to a duck All the kids at school said "Oh, what a fool! He fell asleep in the bathtub! He turned into a duck!" Yea, but I just laughed and then I flew away. I get so dirty, I get so dirty, I get so dirty, I get so dirty, I get so dirty, Gotta take a bath every night.

"Payday"

     by Mississippi John Hurt, with new material by Greg Brown
Honey, I did all I can do, can't get along with you. I gonna take you back to Mama pay a day, pay a day. I'm gonna take you back to Mama, pay a day. Well that rabbit ran in the log- I ain't got no rabbit dog, hate to see that rabbit get away, get away. Hate to see that rabbit get away. Well now just about a week ago, hit hard times you know- I'm gonna take care of my children, If I can, if I can, if I can. I'm gonna take care of my children. Honey, I did all I can do, and I can't get along with you. Take you back to Mama, Pay a day. I'm gonna take you back to Mama, Pay a day.

"So Long, You Old Tooth"

I'm gonna tie a string to the door I just can't take it no more. Gonna get out my pliers, that's the truth, and I'll say "So long, you old tooth!" So long- goodbye-and I'll get a dollar bye and bye. I'm gonna bite an apple in two- I just don't know what to do- gonna get out my dynamite, and that's the truth- and I'll say "So long, you old tooth!" So long- goodbye- and I'll get a dollar bye and bye.

"Green Leaf"

Green leaf, green leaf are you scared when the wild storms blow? When you look out over the thunder do you ever want to go over the world on a wild green wind-green leaf do you know? Up in the mountains there's no one home but the deer and the mice and the snow. Up in the mountains where the wild sheep roam is where I want to go- I'll hike away with my lunch in a sack and I'll never come back below Red berries grow every other year so heavy on the tree- when they are ripe, my enemy comes and he throws them all at me- but I crawl in to my wooden fort and I weather the war safely.

"Young Robin"

I'm a young robin way up hig, too old for the nest, too young to die, watching the jays and the grackles sail by, calling me bad names. I know I could fly if I wanted to, I know I could fly if I wanted to, I know I could fly if I wanted to, I don't want to , right now. One of my brothers tried too fast and his first flight was his last- I saw him flopping around in the grass and that fat cat saw him too. Dad sit singing at the top of the tree. Mom floats by and says to me take your time, just wait 'til you're ready just watch me for awhile. Oh, I know you could fly if you wanted to, I know you could fly if you wanted to, I know you could fly if you wanted to, Do you want to, right now? I'll just ease out where the tree meets the sky, and wait for a good breeze blowing by and spread my wings and close my eyes- Here goes nothing. I knew I could fly if I wanted to, I knew I could fly if I wanted to, I knew I could fly if I wanted to , And I want to, I want to, I want to, Right now.

"Down at the Sea Hotel"

Tuna is tired, the seahorse is sleepy, the hammerhead's not feeling well. The catfish is yawning- it's lights-out time down at the Sea Hotel.

"Shake Sugaree"

     by Elizabeth Cotten
I have a little song and it won't take long And I'll sing it right once or twice- Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. Pawned my chair and I pawned my bed, and ain't got no place to lay my head. Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn Everything I got. Grow my tobacco and I spit my juice- Well I would raise cain, but it ain't a bit of use Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. Pawned my tobacco and I pawned my pipe, pawned everything that was in my sight. Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. I'm going sailing in a wooden shoe looking foir a star I could tell my troubles to Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. First star to the right and it's straight on 'til morn, I never saw such such night since I was born. Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. Have a little secret; I ain't going to tell, I'm going to heaven in a brown pea shell. Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. Pawned my horse and I pawned my plow. pawned everything, even pawned my old milk cow. Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. Have a little secret and I ain't going to teel, I'm going to heaven and I'm not going to .... Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got. Haver a little song and it won't take long I'll sing it right, sing it all night long. Oh Lordy me, didn't I shake sugaree Everything I got is in the pawn. Everything I got.

"Flabbergabble"

Flabbergabble kookamunga ba goo-goo Fiddlefaddle swishamunga bumble gum too If you don't do what I want you to I'm gonna skibblejibble gabbaflabba wungamunga you. I have a big appetite I'm gonna eat a whole apple pie tonight then I'll have a piece of ice cream cake, popsicle, wopsickle, T-bone steak. Now it's time to sicklewickle my cats I'm gonna feed them some smoked herrings and hats Then I'll put my light bulbs in the freezer and eat some freckled peezerweezer. Now our little tiny song is done- we hope you had a lot of fun- So eat some eyelashes and some hair and that'll show us how much you care. Flabbergabble kookamunga ba goo-goo Fiddlefaddle swishamunga bumble gum too If you don't do what I want you to I'm gonna skibblejibble gabbaflabba wungamung you.

"I Remember When"

A girl rode through the gate. She was two hours late. She got off her horse and her mother, of course, was standing there waiting, standing by the gate. "Where have you been? Don't you know it's almost ten? I've been so worried- you should have hurried- this better not happen again- better not happen again!" "Well Mom, ahem, uh-hum, I know I should have come home long ago, but you know I was having such fun riding in the sun." The mother huffed and puffed- she said "I've had enough, You must stay home and play alone for a week!" and her voice was guff. But Grandma was standing there and caught mother unaware. In a quiet voice she said "You know Joyce, you've forgotten something there don't you remember when?" Well, I remember when you were a girl of ten- you may not recall that you did it all when you were very small- but I remember when. So mother hugged daughter and daughter hugged mother and grandma smiled all the while and then they all sang this song. I remember when you were a girl of ten you may not recall that you did it all when you were very small, but I remember when.

"Four Wet Pigs"

     by Greg Brown, copyright © 1981 Brown Street Music
Here's a little song about four wet pigs, Just a little song about four wet pigs, Two are little, two are big, they're all dancing at the Mud-time jig. The two that are little, little as an ear of corn The two that are big, well they're bigger than a barn, bigger than a barn, taller than a tree, Truck'em on down to the factory. Cut 'em into bacon, slice 'em into ham, chop 'em into hot dogs, squeeze 'em into spam. Throw their little eyes out in the rain, throw their little eyes out in the rain, throw their beady little piggy eyes out into the rain. Pickle their feet and pickle their brains. Here's a little song about two wet pigs, standing at the slop trough, smoking their cigs, wishing to god they'd never get big dancing out their hearts at the Mud-time jig. Wishing to god they'd never get big, and dancing out their hearts. Dance little porkers!

"Monsters and Giants"

What's that? What's that? What's that in the closet? It's green, it's huge and it's scary Oh no! It's a monster! What's that? What's that? What's that in the basement? It's brown, it has fangs and it's hairy. Oh no! It's a giant! What's that? What's that? What's that in the guitar? It's small, it stinks and it's ugly. Oh no! It's a musical monster. Be careful-watch out. Be careful-watch out. Monsters and giants are hiding all about! What's that? What's that? What's that in your shoe? It's white, it's sharp and it's gross. Oh no! It's a toenail?

"Two Little Boys"

     public domain
Two little boys, two little toys each was a wooden horse. Gaily they played, each summer's day Soldier boys, of course. One little chap, he had a mishap and he broke off his horse's head, Wept for his toy, then cried with joy when his young comrade said: "Do you think, Jack, I'd leave you crying when there's room on my horse for two? Climb up, Jack, we'll soon be flying. He can go just as fast with two. When we grow,we'll both be soldiers and our horses won't be toys, And it may be, Jack, that we'll remember when we were two little boys." The years quickly passed, the war came at last' and bravely the boys marched away. Cannon roared loud, midst the mad crowd wounded and dying Jack lay. When out rings a cry and a horse dashes by out of the ranks of the blue. Dashes away to where Jack lay and a voice rang strong and true. "Do you think Jack, I'd could leave you dying when there's room on my horse for two? Climb up Jack, we'll soon be flying He can go just as fast with two. Do you Jack, I'm all a tremble? Perhaps it's the battles noise- Or maybe,Jack, that I remember when we were two little boys.

"You Might as Well Go to Sleep"

You've done about all one kid can do in one day so you might as well go to sleep, you might as well go to sleep. I've said about all one dad can say So you might as well, might as well go to sleep. Well I know you hate to go to bed and to get up is such a trial but you might as well go to sleep. You might as well go to sleep. Oh, I know you are wild You are my child but you might as well, might as well go to sleep. There's nothing on TV, the VCR's busted, and all your little friends are zonked out. It's just me and you and I'm sleepy too Let's find out what our dreams are going to be about. You've done about all one kid can do in one day so you might as well go to sleep might as well go to sleep I've said about all one dad can say so you might as well, might as well go to sleep you might as well, might as well go to sleep. Might as well, might as well, might as well, might as well, Go to sleep. Close that other eye now. You might as well, might as well go to sleep. You already had a drink of water. Might as well, might as well, go to sleep. Might as well, might as well, go to sleep. I don't know what would happen if you rode your bicycle off the roof of the garage and hit a board that was across a barrel and flew away up and hit the moon and the moon flew into pieces and you were still on your bike riding on a piece of the moon back down towards the ocean and the tide was rising. There'd be alot of ramifications to the whole situation, but I think maybe we should work on it tomorrow. It's going to be big day. You might as well, might as well go to sleep.You might as well, might as well go to sleep.

"I See the Moon" [#2]

     public domain
I see the moon and the moon sees me And the moon sees the one that I long to see. So God bless the moon and God bless me and God bless the one that I long to see. It seems to me that God above created you for me to love. He picked you out of all the rest because he knew I loved you the best. I once had a heart called mine you see, but now it's gone to you from me. So take good care as I have done for you have two and I have none. I see the moon and the moon sees me And the moon sees the one that Iong to see. So God bless the moon and God bless me And God bless the one that I long to see. Transcribed by Stute1953@aol.com.