We Was All Too High to See It Coming

[INTRO — SPOKEN, LOW AND SMOKY] Now, I ain't sayin' the swamp was haunted... I'm just sayin'... We was all pretty high that night. And when you're that high, every frog got a message. Every tree got a secret. And every gator... looks like he knows something. [VERSE 1] We was sittin' by the water Passin' one around Moon hung sideways And the frogs were getting loud Crawdad said, “I seen a shadow.” Lizard Man said, “Where?” Crawdad pointed at the cypress. Lizard Man said, “Ain't nothing there.” Then Rabbit leaned in whispering, “Y'all ever hear the story 'bout Pierre LaBeau?” Everybody stopped breathing. I said, “Who?” Rabbit said, “The gator with the gumbo.” [PRE-CHORUS] Fire started flickerin' Though there wasn't any wind Lizard Man said, “Don't worry.” Then he said it once again. “Don't worry.” We all looked at each other. Nobody said a word. Sometimes when you're high enough Silence sounds like something heard. [CHORUS] We was all too high to see it coming Too damn high to know what was real Every shadow looked suspicious Every bump became a deal We kept laughing at the darkness Saying, “Man, we're losing it tonight” But the swamp kept getting quieter And nobody thought that felt right. [VERSE 2] Rabbit said Pierre was cooking Something thick inside a pot Said the whole swamp loved his gumbo But the meat was never bought Lizard Man said, “That's ridiculous.” Crawdad said, “You sure?” Lizard Man stared toward the water. “I'm pretty sure.” Rabbit took another hit Then squinted at the trees. “I think I knew somebody Who went there once.” I said, “Who?” Rabbit shook his head. “I don't know.” Lizard Man whispered, “That's what worries me.” [VERSE 3] Now we're passing stories Like they're sacred through the smoke Lizard Man says, “Moon looks normal.” Squatch says, “That's a joke.” Lizard Man says, “No, seriously.” Squatch says, “Didn't say it wasn't.” Crawdad says, “Something's watching.” Lizard Man says, “Ain't nothing watching.” I said, “Then why you looking?” He said, “I'm not.” Then we all looked. [PRE-CHORUS 2] Something hit the water. Just one big splash. Lizard Man whispered, “Everybody stay calm.” Crawdad whispered, “Run.” Nobody moved. Nobody breathed. Then Possum said, “Did anybody else just see that?” Lizard Man said, “See what?” Then something blinked underneath the black water. Lizard Man stood up. “...Okay.” [CHORUS] We was all too high to see it coming Too damn high to know what was real Every shadow looked suspicious Every ripple made us feel Like the swamp was trying to tell us Something none of us could hear We kept blaming all the paranoia On the smoke and on the beer But the fire burned blue. And that part... That part wasn't the weed. [INSTRUMENTAL / STORY BREAK] [WHISPERED VOICES] “Pierre...” “Pierre LaBeau...” “Don't say his name.” “Why?” “Because he might hear you.” [VERSE 4] Old Turtle finally spoke up: “Pierre ain't just a story.” Everybody turned toward him. He said, “That pot's still there.” I laughed and said, “Come on, Turtle. You can't expect us to believe—” Then we smelled it. Garlic. Pepper. Bayou spice. Something slow and savory Drifting through the trees. Lizard Man stood up. Crawdad dropped his smoke. Rabbit whispered, “That's impossible.” Then from somewhere in the darkness: “Come on over, cher...” [BRIDGE — HALF-SPOKEN] Nobody laughed. Nobody moved. Lizard Man stared toward the trees. I said, “Maybe we're just high.” He said, “Obviously.” I said, “So we ain't gotta worry?” He shook his head. “No.” “Because we're high?” “No.” “Then why?” He said, “Because something's there.” [FINAL CHORUS] We was all too high to see it coming Too damn high to understand We thought the swamp was messing with us Till we smelled it in the air Every shadow had a heartbeat Every tree began to sway And somewhere past the cypress Something stirred inside the bay We was all too high to see it coming But the swamp already knew And when that old pot started bubbling... We knew what we had to do. [OUTRO — SPOKEN] We ran. Well... Some of us ran. Squatch walked. Catfish swam. Mothman flew. Lizard Man disappeared into a tree. Crawdad went underground. And me? I went back for my lighter. [PAUSE] I'm pretty sure that was the wrong decision. [VERY QUIET] But every now and then... when the wind comes through the cypress... I swear I smell gumbo. And somebody laughing.