—Gus Cannon
Chorus:
Come along, little children come along
While the moon is shining bright
Get on board, and down the river float
I'm gonna raise a ruckus tonight
My old mistress promised me (raise a ruckus tonight)
When she died she'd set me free (raise a ruckus tonight)
She lived so long til her head got bald (raise a ruckus tonight)
She give up the notion of dyin' at all (raise a ruckus tonight)
Now some folks say that a preacher won't steal (raise a ruckus tonight)
I caught two in my watermelon field (raise a ruckus tonight)
They were eatin' them watermelons, throwin' away the rinds (raise a ruckus tonight)
They were preachin' and prayin' and stealin' all the time (raise a ruckus tonight)
When I die they gonna bury me deep (gonna raise a ruckus tonight)
Place a jug of molassses at my feet (gonna raise a ruckus tonight)
Just put some flapjacks in my hand (raise a ruckus tonight)
I'll sop my way to the promised land (raise a ruckus tonight)
Chorus:
| I | I | IV | IV |
| I | I | V | V |
| I | I | IV | IV |
| I | V | I | I |
Verse:
| |: | I | I | I |
| I | I | I | I :| |
Optional Verse:
You know I had a little dog and he had no sense…
He's always barking at the chickens on the fence…
The chicken flew off and hit him in the jaw…
You oughta heard that dog holler ha ha haw…<