Bugs
Nature's Battle: Bobbie Gentry's Musical Tale of Pesky Intruders
Lyrics
Got a pollywog in your water
Refers to a small aquatic larva in the water.
Tadpole in the moonshine vat
Describes a young frog in a container used for making moonshine.
An' granddaddy-long-leg climbing on the screen
Highlights the presence of a large spider climbing on a window screen.
You better watch, you're gonna squash him flat
Cautionary statement, warning about the possibility of unintentionally killing the spider.
Boll weevils in your cotton
Mentions destructive pests in cotton fields known as boll weevils.
And dirt-dauber busy building a nest
Notes the activity of a mud-dauber wasp constructing a nest.
The red wasp's gonna swoop down and get ya child
Warns about the aggressive nature of a red wasp and the lack of respite.
Won't give you a minutes rest
Emphasizes the constant threat and disturbance caused by insects.
(she's talkin 'bout)
Introduction to the theme of bugs and their impact on daily life.
Bugs! Everywhere you look there's another kind of bug
Observation that bugs are ubiquitous and diverse.
Makes you want to get a club and clout'em
Expresses frustration, suggesting a desire to eliminate bugs forcefully.
Yes everybody's talking bout the worrysome bugs
Acknowledges the widespread discussion about bugs but highlights inaction.
But ain't nobody doing nothing about 'em
Criticism of the lack of proactive measures taken against the bug issue.
Shooing the flies away from the table
Describes the act of shooing flies away from a table, a common nuisance.
Hiding under the quilting bed
Suggests seeking refuge under a bed with a quilt to avoid bugs.
The chiggers running wild in the blackberry bush
Highlights the presence of chiggers, small mites, in a blackberry bush.
Yellow jackets swarmin' round your head
Describes the annoyance caused by yellow jackets, aggressive wasps.
They're coming to get your watermelon
Warns that bugs may spoil a watermelon.
Black ants marching in a long line
Depicts the organized movement of black ants in a procession.
They're lurking in the leaves of the strawberry patch
Notes bugs hidden in the leaves of a strawberry patch.
And climbing up the tomato vine
Points out bugs climbing on a tomato vine.
(she gonna tell you about)
Introduction to bugs again, reinforcing the theme.
Bugs!
Reiteration of bugs, emphasizing their pervasive presence.
Bugs! Everywhere you look there's another type of bug
Repeats the idea that bugs are everywhere, emphasizing variety.
But if ya live in the delta ya got 'em
Specifies that living in the delta region comes with its own bug challenges.
Here's a sure fire way to pass the time of day
Suggests a humorous solution to pass the time: swat bugs with a newspaper.
Fold you up a newspaper and swat 'em
Instruction on using a newspaper to swat bugs as a form of entertainment.
Hey look its me with the DDT
Introduction of DDT, a pesticide, as a potential solution to bug problems.
Umm hmm, umm hmm
Expression of agreement or affirmation regarding the effectiveness of DDT.
Ain't they a mess, them worrysome pests
Comments on the messy and troublesome nature of pests despite DDT.
Umm hmm, umm umm hmm
Repeats the affirmation about the troublesome nature of pests.
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