The Legend of Wooley Swamp
The Charlie Daniels Band, Charlie Daniels
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If you ever go back into Wooly Swamp son you better not go at night There's things out there in the middle of them woods That'd make a strong man die from fright There's things that crawl and things that fly And things that creep around on the ground And they say the ghost of Lucias Clay gets up and it walks around. [Chorus] But I couldn't believe it, I just had to find out for myself And I couldn't conceive it, I never would listen to nobody else No I couldn't believe it, I just had to find out for myself That there's some things in this world you just can't explain. The old man lived in the Wooly Swamp way back in the gurgling woods And he never did do a lot of harm in the world But he never did do no good People didn't think too much of him They all thought he acted funny The old man didn't care about people anyway All he cared about was his money. He'd stuff it all down in Mason jars and bury it all around But on certain nights if the moon was right He'd dig it up out of the ground. He'd pour it all out on the floor of his shack And run his fingers through it. Old Lucias Clay was a greedy old man And that's all there ever was to it. [Chorus] The Crayton boys were white trash they lived over on Parvis Creek They were a real snake and sneaky as a cat And belligerent when they'd speak. One night the oldest brother said ya'll meet in the Wooly Swamp later We'll get old Lucias' money and we'll pitch him to the alligators. They found the old man out in the back with a shovel in his hand And thirteen rusty Mason jars he just dug up out of the sand. And they all went crazy and they beat the old man Then they picked him up off the ground Then they threw him in the swamp and they stood there and laughed Till the black water sucked him down. Then they turned around and went back to the shack And they picked up the money and ran. But they hadn't gone nowheres when they realized They were running in quicksand. And they struggled and screamed but they couldn't get away Then just before they were gone They could hear that old man laughing In a voice that was loud and strong. Now that's been fifty years ago an' if you go back by there again There's a spot in the yard in back of that shack Where the ground is always wet. And on certain nights if the moon is right And you're down by the dark footpath You can hear three young men screaming And you can hear that old man laugh. If you ever go back into Wooly Swamp son you better not go at night There's things out there in the middle of them woods That'd make a strong man die from fright There's things that crawl and things that fly And things that creep around on the ground And they say the ghost of Lucias Clay gets up and it walks around. [Chorus]
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Written by: CHARLES FRED HAYWARD, CHARLIE DANIELS, FRED EDWARDS, JAMES W. MARSHALL, JOHN CRAIN, WILLIAM J. DIGREGORIO
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
11 facts about this song
Song Recording and Release"The Legend of Wooley Swamp" was recorded by Charlie Daniels and his band in 1980.
- The song is a single from the band's album "Full Moon".
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Chart PerformanceIt reached number 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November 1980.
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Genre ClassificationThe song falls under the genre of southern rock and country.
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Song Concept"The Legend of Wooley Swamp" is a story song.
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Song ContentThe lyrics tell the tale of a miser named Lucius Clay who was supposedly killed by three local boys for his stored wealth.
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LegacyEven after decades, the song continues to be a staple at Charlie Daniels Band concerts.
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InspirationThe song was perhaps inspired by Daniels' fascination with Southern folklore.
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Cover VersionAn instrumental version of this song was done by the Finnish bluegrass band Steve’n’Seagulls in their album Brothers In Farms.
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TriviaCharlie Daniels once stated in an interview that the Wooley Swamp doesn't really exist; it is a fictional place conjured up for the song.
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Unique FeatureThe song is noted for its haunting tone and eerie storyline, an aspect not usually found in Daniels' more upbeat repertoire.
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Cultural ImpactThe song's story and setting have sparked several fan theories and discussions about the fate of the characters in the song.
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Citation
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