Verse 1 I woke up this mornin’, cold wind blowin’ ‘cross my bed, Yeah, I woke up this mornin’, cold wind blowin’ ‘cross my bed, That black snake done crawled in my garden, took the woman I had fed. Verse 2 He come creepin’ in the shadows, crawlin’ soft and low, Yeah, he come creepin’ in the shadows, crawlin’ soft and low, Took my sugar in the nighttime, Lord, I didn’t even know. Verse 3 I grabbed my hat and pistol, moon was hangin’ high, Yeah, I grabbed my hat and pistol, moon was hangin’ high, Gonna find that black snake, baby, and look him in the eye. Verse 4 He slithered through the back road, down by the river bend, Oh, he slithered through the back road, down by the river bend, I’m gonna catch that black snake, make his crawlin’ end. Verse 5 Now my baby’s gone, and my heart done turned to stone, Yeah, my baby’s gone, Lord, my heart done turned to stone, That black snake stole my woman — now I walk this world alone. Outro (Spoken / half-sung) Black snake, black snake, don’t you crawl my way, Yeah, black snake, black snake, you best keep away, ‘Cause I got one cold bullet gonna make you pay today.
