jericsmith.com

WALKER COTTON BLUES

Copyright 2004, J. Eric Smith


Shrimp boat puttin' out t' sea long before the dawn
Diesel fuel and fishin' nets long before the dawn
Walker Cotton's gotta fish before them shrimps is gone

Drop the nets and let 'em drag, he's puttin' out t' sea
Sun come up off to the east, he's puttin' out t' sea
Walker Cotton chaws a plug, spits off t' the lee

Down the river roun' the bend an' watchin' out for mud
Catch the tide and pass the bridge an' watch out for the mud
Walker Cotton's overalls are stained with dirt and blood

Pull the nets in, swing 'em round and drop 'em on the deck
Nets all wrigglin' with the shrimps all hoppin' on the deck
Loose and floppin' just like Dewey Varney's broken neck

Gotta put them shrimps away and chill 'em down all nice
Gotta get them shrimps put 'way to chill 'em down all nice
Walker Cotton starts a' diggin' Dewey from the ice

A braid of rope 'round Dewey's waist, an anchor at the end
A loop of rope 'round Dewey's legs, an anchor at the end
Walker Cotton's gone and killed his one and only friend

Dewey's wife's the only one who might been keepin' tabs
On Dewey's whereabouts and wiles, she'd long been keepin' tabs
That's what made her wish that he'd be eaten up by crabs

Shrimp on ice and Dewey gone, he's sailin' back t' town
Shrimp all iced in Dewey's box, he's sailin' back t' town
Walker Cotton's headin' home t' lay Miz Varney down


Sail the waterway.