Down by the river where you ought not go Live a man and a monkey on Bottom Road He's got a mojo workin' on a black cat bone John the Conqueroo, gonna take it home Gonna tune my banjer, tap with the bone Sprinkle with the water, gonna make it groan Tar-paper shack with a kettle out back Cookin' up somethin', smoke curlin' black Y'know the mudflats was buzzin' in the late afternoon Hush fell now, storm clouds comin' soon Dust in the air and lightnin' in the sky
But the old man sees through clouded eye Don't want money, don't want corn pone Looked me in the eye, said "Somethin' you own" So I handed him the knife that my papa handed me Turned his back, said "Let me be" I ran through the bramble and I ran through the reed And I swan to the day he's a-followin' me Down by the river where you ought not go Live a man and a monkey on Bottom Road