Sittin' Up With the Dead Ray Stevens
written by C. W. Kalb, Jr.
3/24/06
INTRO: F-C-D F-C-G F-C-D F-C-G
Well out in the [G]country we didn't have morturaries
And [C]so it was always customary
For the [G]undertaker to do his job and lay yer [A7]kin out right there at [D]home
Yeah the [G]church would lend you foldin' chairs
And you'd have [C]visitation and everything right there
But when the [G]nighttime come you'd have to sit up with the dead
D INTRO
'Cause it wasn't right to leave 'em alone
Well the [G]last time I sat up was '65
When my [C]old arthritic Uncle Fred died
He was [G]ninety-seven and so stooped over the mor[A7]tician couldn't straighten him [D]out
They used a [G]loggin' chain down, [C]covered that all up with a cape and a gown
And didn't [G]tell nobody in the family
D INTRO
'Cause that's the kind of stuff folks just don't wanna know about
G (let ring) F-C-D
Well we were all sittin' there, it was 3 in the mornin'
G (let ring) F-C-D
And then there come up a cloud of thunder lightnin' and stormin'
Well that [G]lightnin' flashed and that thunder clapped
And that [C]chain 'round old Uncle Fred went snap
D N/C
And rattled and fell to the floor with a thump and Uncle Fred just stay right up (Yeeoowww!)
CHORUS:
And I [G]ain't sittin' up with the dead no more, [C]I don't know 'bout you[F-C]
No I [G]ain't sittin' up with the dead no more, no [D]matter what you say or do[Dsus4-D]
They say the [G]dead can't hurt ya 'cause they already left
But what they [C]left can sure make you hurt yourself
And I [G]ain't sittin' up with the [Em]dead no more
C D INTRO
Since the dead started sittin' up too
Well when Uncle [G]Fred sat up so did everyone there
And there [C]came a great partin' of the foldin' chairs
And that [G]preacher nearly knocked me down, he said
"Ohhh I'm [A7]headin' out that kitchen [D]door!"
I hollered "[G]Rev that kitchen ain't got a door in it!"
He said "[C]Don't worry son, it will have in a minute"
G D INTRO
And I ain't never seen so much jumpin' and shovin' before
And then [G]somebody stepped on the old cat's tail
And he [C]let out a scream, a screech, a wail
And to [G]say the least that howl didn't help to calm the [A7]situation d[D]own
And then that [G]lightnin' flashed and that house went black
And I [C]spoke to my feet and said "boys make tracks!"
G D INTRO
And I went through that screen door lickity-split for time
G (let ring) F-C-D
Well I cut through the cemetary, fell in a hole
G (let ring) F-C-D
It was Uncle Fred's grave and it was dark and cold
Yeah the [G]town drunk dug it and he dug it too deep
And unbe[C]knownst to me he was still in there asleep
And I'm [D]scratchin' and jumpin' tryin' to get outta that hole
N/C
And he woke up and said "You might as well come over here and sit down beside me, boy
N/C
'Cause you ain't gettin' outta here tonight"
N/C
But I did!
CHORUS
SPOKEN OVER INTRO:
Wasn't no sense in nobody sittin' up with Uncle Fred anyhow!
Uncle Fred gon' be done sittin' up with his own self!
Next time I'm just gonna send flowers!
Yeah
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