Black Bayou

Swamp Witch

Performed By: Jim Stafford

Written By: Jim Stafford

From the 1974 Album: Jim Stafford

Stafford wrote many of the songs for which he is famous, including his first chart hit, "Swamp Witch". He has brought his inimitable style to several movie soundtracks. He received a gold record for his work in the Disney movie, The Fox and The Hound, and writes for other popular artists.

Stafford is self-taught on guitar, fiddle, piano, banjo, organ and harmonica. 

Black water Hattie lived back in the swamp,

Where the strange green reptiles crawl.

(Gator Farm - Tybee Island, Georgia)

Snakes hang thick from the cypress trees,

Like sausage on a smokehouse wall.

(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Rookery)

Where the swamp is alive with a thousand eyes,
An' all of them watching you.


(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Hilton Head)

Stay off the track to Hattie's shack,

In the back of the Black Bayou.

(Fountain of Youth - St. Augustine, Florida)

Way up the road from Hattie's shack,

Lies a sleepy little Okeechobee town.

Talk of swamp witch Hattie,

Lock you in when the sun goes down.

(St. Augustine, Florida)

Rumors of what she'd done,

Rumors of what she'd do.

Kept folks off the track of Hattie's shack,

In the back of the Black Bayou.

(Shrunken Head - Lightner Museum - St. Augustine, Florida)

One day brought the rain and the rain stayed on,

(Looking out my front door - 2/29/12)

And the swamp water overflowed.

Skeeters and the fever grabbed the town like a fist,

Doctor Jackson was the first to go.

(Roadside ditch)

Some said the plague was brought by Hattie.

There was talk of a hangin' too.

(Hubby - Gallows at Old Jail - St. Augustine, Florida 2008)

But the talk got shackled by the howls and the cackles,

From the bowels of the Black Bayou.

(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Hilton Head 2007)

Early one morn 'tween dark and dawn when shadows filled the sky.

There came an unseen caller on a town where hope'd dry.

(Fog along the Highway - Bowling Green, Kentucky)

In the square there was found a big black round vat full of gurgling brew.

(Flower Pot in My Front Yard)

Whispering sounds as the folk gathered round.

"It came from the Black Bayou".

(Beale Street - Memphis 2009)

There ain't much pride when you're trapped inside,
A slowly sinking' ship.
Scooped up the liquid deep and green,
And the whole town took a sip.

(Disgusting Kale Smoothie)

Fever went away and the very next day,
The skies again were blue.

(Palmetto Bluff - Hilton Head Island 2007)

Let's thank old Hattie for savin' our town.

We'll fetch her from the Black Bayou.

(Scummy Pond near Brownsville, Kentucky)

Party of ten of the town's best men,

Headed for Hattie's shack.

(Fair day Parade 2011 - Brownsville, Ky.)

 

Said, "Swamp Witch magic was useful and good,

And they're gonna bring Hattie back".

(International Festival 2010 - Souvenir Fruit Drink Cup)

 

Never found Hattie and they never found the shack.

And they never made the trip back in.

(Sea Pines Forest Preserve - Hilton Head 2007)

There was a parchment note they found tacked to a stump.

Said, "Don't come lookin' again"!!

(Hattie's Note - Balck Bayou)

I heard this song one day last week and it has been stuck in my head since then, so I decided to use it as my song this week. Things just fell into place with it too, like today's downpour of rain, storms and the nasty water in the roadside ditch. Plus as I scanned through pictures looking for a certain one, I happened upon several that fit this theme very well. I hope you enjoy and that you take a moment to leave me a note or two. I love reading your comments!! Don't forget to visit Hootin' Anni's Thursday Theme Song for more fun post!!