Lyrics Whistling Past the Graveyard - Screamin' Jay Hawkins

Whistling Past the Graveyard

Coming on the night train
With an arm full of box cars
On the wings of a magpie, 'cross a hooligan night
Busted up a chifforobe
Way out by the cocomo
Cooked up a mess a mulligan and got into a fight
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I’m a mean motherhubbard
Papa one eyed jack
You probably seen me sleepin' out by the railroad tracks
Ask the prince of darkness 'bout 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
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I’m a mean motherhubbard
Papa one eyed jack
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 now it’s dry as a bone
I was born in a taxi cab I ain’t never goin' home
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I’m a mean motherhubbard
Papa one eyed jack
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 up a couple of 'em every time it rains
You gotta see a locomotive
Probably thinkin' it’s a train
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I’m a mean motherhubbard
Papa one eyed jack
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
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I’m a mean motherhubbard
Papa one eyed jack
I come in on the night train
With an arm full of box cars
On the wings of a magpie
Cross 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
Whistlin' past the graveyard
Steppin' on a crack
I’m a mean motherhubbard
Papa one eyed jack