Cat. #0529 (MFH #227) - As sung by Fred Smith, Bentonville, Arkansas on July 5, 1960
VERSE 1
Ye landsmen all come listen to me
I'll tell ya th truth, I'm bound
What happened to me, while goin' t' sea
An' the wonders that I found
Ship wrecked was I, just off Peru
An' cast upon th shore
So long as I did take a course
That country to explore
CHORUS:
Right-fa-de-da-de-deddle-a's
De-dingdom-fa-de-di-dough
Right-fa-de-da-de-un-a'e
Dingdom-fa-deddle-di-dough
VERSE 2
As I started out one day
T'was along close by the ocean
I saw something move an' I thought at first
Th whole world up on motion
An' as I strayed up 'long side
I found is a crocodile
From th end of 'is nose t' tip 'is tails
He measured, five hundred miles
VERSE 3
This crocodiles, you can plainly see
Was not one of th common kind
For I was forced t' climb a high tree
Before I could look into his face
An' when he lifted up his jaws
Say, perhap you'll think it a lie
His head reached for miles above th clouds
An' his nose stuck in t' th sky
VERSE 4
When I was aloft, so high
There blew a gale from th south
I lost my holt, an away I went
Right down that crocodiles mouth
He scarcely closed his jaws on me
When he thought he'd gobbled a victim
But I walked right down his throat to see
An' that's th way I tricked 'im
VERSE 5
I traveled on fer quite awhile
Till I came to his mowry-more
There I found plenty of grull an' grog
An' plenty of grub in store
Now, life had vanished all its cares
For grub I was not vented
There I lived 'bout three years
An' very well contented
VERSE 6
This crocodile was taken sick
Alas, one day he died
He was fully six months cooling off
He was so long an' wide
His hide was ten miles thick, I'm sure
Or, some-wheres there about
I know that I was jest eight months
In cutting my way out
VERSE 7
Now, I am on shore again
Resolved no more to roam
Fer th ship that passed that getus bird
Now, is safe at home
An' if any of you should doubt my song
While taveling o'er th Nile
Jest where, I tell you'll find that smell
Of that great big crocidile