Little Alligator Bait

Title

Little Alligator Bait

Description

V1
Mammy dry my tears
I’m so full of fears
I’ve just been scared to death while comin’ home
‘way down de other stret
De white folks dat I meet
Tells me I won’t be living long, and you’ll be all alone
Dey called me choc’late drop
But I begged them to stop
And den they called me Honey Boy, you see
De were so kind right then
But they have changed again
Mammy, this is what t hey’re callin’ me
V2
Listen mammy’s mite
White folks day ain’t bright
Dey’re ‘way behind in ev’rything you see
I never went to school
But any kind of fool
Just knows dere ain’t no ‘alligators in old Tennessee
All alligators born
Lives in de Amazon
And in de Congo too, dat’s where dey stay
So don’t mind when dey lease
You jest swim all you please
Never mind de white folks when dey say
Refrain (Tenderly)
Little Alligator Bait,
You ain’t got long to wait
Yo’d better say “goodbye” right now
Sure as two and two makes four
If you swim any more
Dere’s an alligator waiting for you on dat shore
Little Alligator Bait,
Run ‘long ‘fore it’s too late
You know he’ll swallow you as sure as fate
He’ll be hungry and I’ll bet you
He’ll be mighty glad to get you
Little alligator, Alligator bait

Creator

George J. Moriarty (words), Robert Bruce Allan (music)

Date

1918

Files

Collection

Citation

George J. Moriarty (words), Robert Bruce Allan (music), “Little Alligator Bait,” The Baseball Sheet Music Project, accessed March 29, 2024, https://baseballsheetmusic.omeka.net/items/show/149.