Bad news travel like wildfire
And good news travel slow
Now they call me Ol' Wildfire
'Cause everybody knows

That I'm bad news
Oh yeah, everywhere I go, yeah
I'm always getting into trouble
Huh, and leaving little girls who hate to see me go

Now I've picked peaches in Georgia
And I love a jack pepper in Maine
I'm in the hiding, fighting jail
In every city you could name

Ha-ha, I'm bad news
Oh yeah, everywhere I go, yeah
I'm always getting into trouble
And leaving little girls who hate to see me go

Well, they tried to hang me in Oakland
And they did in San Frisco
But I wouldn't choke and I broke the rope
So they had to let me go

Y'all, I'm bad news
Ha-ha-ha, everywhere I go, yeah
I'm always getting into trouble
And leaving little girls who hate to see Clarence go
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Mmm-hmm
Mmm-hmm