Crawdad Song
from the MMF! Songbook

History
Crawdad Song is a Southern folksong. It is a variation on an older piece named Sweet Thing, and is a tune written to accompany a 'play party'. During the first hundred years or so of United States history, many communities allowed play parties as an acceptable form of social interaction. Play party tunes are usually simple, lilting melodies, with improvised words in responses to the experiences of courting, working and living. Many North American folksongs have their origin in the play party tradition. Children singing and chanting jump rope rhymes in the school yard is an example of a modern day play party.

Lyrics
You get a line and I'll get a pole, Honey,
You get a line and I'll get a pole, Babe.
You get a line and I'll get a pole,
We'll go fishin' in the crawdad hole,
Honey, Baby mine.

Sittin' on the bank 'til my feet get cold, Honey,
Sittin' on the bank 'til my feet get cold, Babe,
Sittin' on the bank 'til my feet get cold,
Lookin' down that crawdad hole,
Honey, Baby mine.

Yonder comes a man with a sack on his back, Honey,
Yonder comes a man with a sack on his back, Babe,
Yonder comes a man with a sack on his back,
Packin' all the crawdads he can pack,
Honey, Baby mine.

The man fell down and he broke that sack, Honey,
The man fell down and he broke that sack, Babe,
The man fell down and he broke that sack,
See those crawdads backing back,
Honey, Baby mine.

I heard the duck say to the drake, Honey,
I heard the duck say to the drake, Babe,
I heard the duck say to the drake,
There ain't no crawdads in this lake,
Honey, Baby mine.

Alternate Lyrics
You get a line and I'll get a pole, Honey,
You get a line and I'll get a pole, Babe,
You get a line and I'll get a pole,
And we'll go down to that crawdad hole,
Honey, Baby mine.

What you gonna do when the lake goes dry, Honey,
What you gonna do when the lake goes dry, Babe,
What you gonna do when the lake goes dry,
Gonna sit on the bank and watch the crawdads die,
Honey, Baby mine.

Get up, Sue, you slept too late, Honey,
Get up, Sue, you slept too late, Babe,
Get up, Sue, you slept too late,
That crawdad man's done passed your gate,
Honey, Baby mine.

Standin' on the corner with a dollar in my hand, Honey,
Standin' on the corner with a dollar in my hand, Babe,
Standin' on the corner with a dollar in my hand,
Standin' there waitin' for the crawdad man,
Honey, Baby mine.

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