Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
Whistling Past the Graveyard
[Verse 1]
Coming in on the night train with an arm full of box cars
On the wings of a magpie across a hooligan night
Busted up a chifforobe way out by the Cocomo
Cooked up a mess a mulligan and got into a fight

[Chorus]
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I'm a mean motherhubba
Papa one eyed jack

[Verse 2]
You probably seen me sleepin' out by the railroad tracks
Ask the prince of darkness about 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

[Chorus]
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I'm a mean motherhubba
Papa one eyed jack

[Verse 3]
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 but now it's dry as a bone
I was born in a taxi cab, I ain't never goin' home
[Chorus]
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I'm a mean motherhubba
Papa one eyed jack

[Verse 4]
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 a couple of 'em every time it rains
You gotta see a locomotive, probably think it's a train

[Chorus]
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I'm a mean motherhubba
Papa one eyed jack

[Verse 5]
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

[Chorus]
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
Mean motherhubba
Papa one eyed jack
[Verse 6]
I come in on the night train with an arm full of box cars
On the wings of a magpie across 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?

[Chorus]
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I'm a mean motherhubba
Papa one eyed jack