Sittin' Up With The Dead

[00:10.12] Well out in the country we didn't have mortuaries
[00:13.80] And so it was always customary
[00:15.91] For the undertaker to do his job
[00:18.70] And lay your kin out there at home.
[00:21.45] Well the church would loan ya foldin' chairs
[00:23.99] And you'd have visitation and everything right there
[00:26.55] And when the nighttime come you had to sit up with the dead
[00:30.70] 'Cause it wasn't right to leave them alone.
[00:36.64] The last time I sat up was '65 when my old arthritic Uncle Fred died
[00:41.31] He was 97 and so stooped over the morticians couldn't straighten him out.
[00:46.74] They used used a loggin' chain to hold him down
[00:50.40] And covered that all up with a cape and a gown
[00:52.49] And didn't tell nobody in the family
[00:54.44] 'Cause that's the kind of thing folks just don't want to know about
[00:58.14] Well we were all sittin' there it was 3 in the mornin'
[01:06.21] When there come up a cloud, a thunderin lightnin' and stormin'
[01:13.01] The lightnin' flashed and the thunder clapped
[01:15.59] And the chain 'round old Uncle Fred went 'snap'
[01:18.11] And rattled and fell to the floor with a thump
[01:21.01] And Uncle Fred just sat right up.
[01:25.10] Well I ain't sittin' up with the dead no more, I don't know 'bout you
[01:30.34] I ain't sittin' up with the dead no more no matter what ya say or do.
[01:35.64] They say the dead can't hurt ya cause they already left
[01:38.62] But what they left can sure make ya hurt yourself.
[01:41.40] And I ain't sittin up with the dead no more since the dead started sittin up too.
[01:47.69] Well when Uncle Fred sat up so did everybody there
[01:59.12] And there came a great partin' of the foldin chairs.
[02:01.81] The preacher nearly knocked me down, he said
[02:04.06] "I'm headed out that kitchen door over there."
[02:07.00] I said "Rev that kitchen ain't got no door in it"
[02:09.74] He said "Don't worry son, it will have in minute."
[02:12.51] And I ain't never seen so much jumpin' and shovin' before.
[02:20.94] Then somebody stepped on the old cat's tail
[02:23.95] It let out a scream, a screech, a wail
[02:25.78] And to say the least that didn't help to calm the situation down.
[02:31.78] Then the lightnin' flashed and that house went black
[02:34.10] And I spoke to my feets I said "Boys make tracks"
[02:37.02] And I went out that screen door lickety split for town.
[02:41.42] Well I cut through the cemetary, fell in a hole.
[02:50.56] It was Uncle Fred's grave and it was dark and cold.
[02:55.76] Well the town drunk dug it and he dug it too deep
[02:59.19] And unbeknownst to me he's still in there asleep
[03:01.29] And I'm jumpin' and scratchin' trying to get out of that hole when he says
[03:05.45] "Might as well come over here and sit down beside me boy
[03:09.94] 'Cause you ain't gettin' outa here tonight."
[03:13.43] But I did.
[03:16.29] And I ain't sittin up with the dead no more, I don't know about you.
[03:21.28] Well I ain't sittin' up with the dead no more no matter what ya say or do
[03:27.01] They say the dead can't hurt ya 'cause they already left
[03:30.17] But what they left can sure make you hurt yourself.
[03:32.39] And I ain't sittin up with the dead no more since the dead started sittin up too.
[03:37.66] SPOKEN:
[03:38.03] Wasn't no sense in sittin' up with Uncle Fred anyhow... Uncle Fred done gonna be sittin' up with his OWN self.
[03:45.30] Next time I'm just gonna send flowers... yeah...
[03:51.61]