hush, you little baby, don’t you say a word
here comes the devil, all dressed up like a mockingbird
and if that mockingbird should try to steal you off the ground
mama’s gonna grab on tight and hold you down- down- down

mama, can you tell me: where did my money go?
what did the devil sell me? i don’t even know
he’s been pecking in my pockets, diving round my door
trying to take me with him- what does he want me for?

chorus
mama told me: don’t let go the ground
somebody hold me- hold me down

i got the devil on my shoulder- hollering- beating his red wing
saying "polly wanna dollar, i don’t care if you can sing"
and "put down that guitar, now, darlin’, you can’t really play it
don’t matter what you got to say- you don’t know how to say it"

chorus

bridge
what’s this coming? what’s this coming? coming over me
i can’t stand myself- i can’t even stand on my own feet

chorus