The Hearse Song

Words & Music:

Traditional

 

Yes, this is one of those incredibly morbid songs that kids create, sing over and over and absolutely love.  Get over it.

 

        Am                                               E7

Did you ever see a hearse go by and thought you'd be the next to die?

Am                                                         E7

They wrap you up in bloody sheets and lower you down about eighty feet.

 

The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out; in your ear and out your mouth.

And one little worm that isn't so shy crawls in your ear and out your eye.

 

Am                        E7                 Am

Pray for the dead and the dead will pray for you.

Am                       E7              Am

Simply because they have nothing else to do,

[n.c. – spoken]

WE HOPE!!!

 

Anyway, that is the fairly benign version that I learned as a kid.  Now, they've added even more & goopier verses (personally, I'd pass on singing most of these to smaller kids - they cross over from cartoon to real.).  To whit:

 

OTHER VERSES:

The graveyard is a lonely place.  They lay you down and throw dirt in your face.

Everything's fine for about a week, until the coffin begins to leak.

 

Your eyes drop out and your teeth fall in.  The worms crawl over your mouth and chin.

They bring their friends and relatives, too.  Boy, can they make a mess of you!

 

They put you in a big black box & cover you up with dirt & rocks.

All goes well for about a week.  Then, your coffin begins to leak.

 

The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out.  The worms play pinochle on your snout.

They eat your eyes, they eat your nose, they eat the jelly between your toes.

 

A big green worm with rolling eyes crawls in your stomach & out your eyes.

Your stomach turns a slimy green & pus pours out like whipping cream.

You spread it on a slice of bread and that's what you eat when you are dead.

 

 

The provenance of the attached easy arrangement is unknown.  It is part of a collection that people gave me over the years.  Please inform me if correctly attribute it.