Don’t Go Into That Barn Songtext
von Tom Waits

Don′t go into that barn, yeah
I said don't go into that barn, yeah

Black cellophane sky at midnight
A big blue moon with three gold rings
I called Champion to the window
I pointed up above the trees
That′s when I heard my name in a scream
Coming from the woods out there
I let my dog run off of the chain
I locked my door real good with a chair
Don't go into that barn, yeah
I said don't go into that barn, yeah


Everett Lee broke loose again
It′s worse than the time before
′Cause he's high on potato and tulip wine
Fermented in the muddy rain, of course
A drunken wail a drunken train
Blew through the birdless trees
Oh, you′re alone, alright
You're alone, alright
How′d I know?
How'd I know?
Don′t go into that barn, yeah
I said don't go into that barn, yeah

An old black tree is scratching up the sky
With bony, claw-like fingers
A rusty black rake, digging up the turnips
Of a muddy, cold, grey sky
Shiny tooth talons, coiled for grabbing
A stranger happening by
And the day went home early
And the sun sunk down into the muck of a deep, dead sky
Don't go into that barn, yeah

Back since Saginaw Calinda was born
It′s been cotton and soybeans, tobacco, and corn
Behind the porticoed house of a long-dead farm
They found the falling down timbers of a spooky old barn
Out there, like a slave ship, upside-down
Wrecked beneath the waves of grain
When the river is low, they find old bones
When they plow, they always dig up chains
Don′t go into that barn, yeah
I said don't go into that barn, yeah


"Did you bury your fire?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you cover your tracks?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you bring your knife?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did they see your face?"
"No, sir."
"Did the moon see you?"
"No, sir."
"Did you go cross the river?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you fix your rake?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you stay downwind?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you hide your gun?"
"Yes, sir."
"Did you smuggle your rum?"
"Yes, sir."

I said, how′d I know?
How'd I know?
How′d I know?
Don't go into that barn, yeah
I said don′t go into that barn, yeah
Don't forget that I warned ya!
I said don't go into that barn, yeah
Don′t go into that barn, yeah
I said don′t go into that barn, yeah

No shirt, no coat
Take me on a flat boat
Dover, down to Covington
Covington to Louisville
Louisville to Henderson
Henderson to Smithland
Smithland to Memphis
Memphis, down to Vicksburg
Vicksburg to Natchez
Going down to Natchez
Take me on a flat boat
Dover, down to Covington
Covington to Louisville
Louisville to Henderson
Henderson to Smithland
Smithland to Memphis
Memphis, down to Vicksburg
Vicksburg to Natchez
We got to get on