Billy Bayou

Billy Bayou - Burl Ives

Back about eighteen

Hundred and some

A Louisiana couple had

A redheaded son

No name suited him

Jim Jack or Joe

So they just called

Him Billy Bayou

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch where you go

You're walking on quicksand

Walk slow

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch what you say

A pretty girl'll get you

One of these days

Now Bill was a boy kind

Of big for his size

Red hair and freckles

And big blue eyes

Thirteen years from the

Day he was born

Bill fought the battle

Of the Little Big Horn

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch where you go

You're walking on quicksand

Walk slow

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch what you say

A pretty girl'll get you

One of these days

Now one sad day

Billy cried "Ho Ho

I whipped the feathers

Off of Geronimo"

He smarted off

The chief got mad

This like to ended

Our Louisiana lad

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch where you go

You're walking on quicksand

Walk slow

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch what you say

A pretty girl'll get

You one of these days

And one day in eighteen

Seventy-eight

A pretty girl walked

Through Bill's front gate

He didn't know whether

To stand there or run

And now his married

'Cause he did neither one

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch where you go

You're walking on quicksand

Walk slow

Billy Billy Bayou

Watch what you say

A pretty girl'll get

You one of these days

A pretty girl'll get

You one of these days