"Alligator"
Words by
Robert Hunter and Ron McKernan (
PigPen); music by Ron McKernan.
Reprinted with permission:
Copyright
Ice Nine Publishing.
This was the first Hunter lyric recorded by the
Grateful Dead.
The song first appeared on
Anthem of the Sun
Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me
Oh no
I been there before
and I'm not comin back around
there no more
Creepy alligator comin all around the bend
Talkin bout the times when we was mutual friends
I check my mem'ry
I check it quick yes I will
I check it runnin
some old kind of trick
Oh no well I
been there before
and I ain't a comin back around
there no more
no I'm not
{this verse by the Grateful Dead}
hung up waitin' for a windy day
Hung up waitin for a windy day
Tear down the Fillmore,
Gas the Avalon
{this verse by PigPen:}
Ridin down the river in an old canoe
a bunch of bugs and an old tennis shoe
out of the river all ugly and green
the biggest old alligator that I've ever seen
teeth big and pointed and his eyes were buggin out
contact the union, put the beggars to route
screamin and yellin and lickin his chops
he never runs he just stumbles and hops
just out of prison on six dollars bail
mumblin at bitches and waggin his tail
Alligator runnin round my door
Alligator runnin round my door
Alligator runnin round my door
Alligator runnin round my door
Alligator creepin round the corner of my cabin door
He's comin round to bother me some more