It was back in 1942, I was a member of a good platoon
We were on maneuvers in Lousiana one night by the light of the moon
The captain told us to ford a river, that’s how it all begun
We were knee deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on

The sergeant said ‘sir are you sure this is the best way back to the base?’
‘Sergeant I once forded this river about a mile above this place
It’ll be a little soggy but keep on slogging we’ll soon be on dry ground’
We were waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on

The sear gent said ‘Sir with all this equipment no man will be able to swim’
‘Oh don’t be such a nervous Nelly ‘ the captain said to him
‘All we need is a little determination; follow me I’ll lead on’
We were neck deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on

All at once the moon clouded over, we heard a gurgling cry
A few seconds later the captain’s helmet was all that floated by
Sergeant said ‘Turn around men! I’m in charge from now on’
We just made it out of the big muddy with the captain dead and gone

Oh we stripped and dived and found his body, stuck in the old quick sand
I guess he didn’t know that the river was deeper than the place he’d once before been
Another stream had joined the big muddy about a mile from where we’d gone
We were lucky to escape from the big muddy when the big fool says to push on

I’m not going to point to any moral, I’ll leave that to yourself
Maybe you’re still walkin’ and you’re still talkin’ and you’d like to keep your health
But every time I read the paper that old feeling comes back on
That we’re waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
Waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
Waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
Oh, we’re waist deep (waist deep), neck deep (neck deep), soon we’ll all be over our heads
Waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on