There was an old man wh' lived over the hill
Oh, Johnny be gay
There was an old man who lived over the hill
If he ain't moved away, he's a-livin' there still
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Then Devil come up to the old man one day
Oh, Johnny be gay
Then Devil come up to the old man one day
And he says, "Your old lady I'm takin' away"
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Well, take her, please take her, with all o' my heart
Oh, Johnny be gay
Oh, yeah, you can have her, with all o' my heart
I hope to my soul that you two never part
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Then Devil he packed her up on his back
Oh, Johnny be gay
Then Devil he packed her up on his back
Straight down the hill he went, clickety-clack
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Well, ten little devils said, "Welcome to hell"
Oh, Johnny be gay
Yeah, ten little devils said, "Welcome to hell
Pa, turn up the fire, we'll sizzle her well"
Johnny, be gay if you can be
She caught four little devils, out playin' tricks
Oh, Johnny be gay
She caught four little devils, out playin' tricks
She'd bound 'em up tightly and beat 'em with sticks
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Well, six scared little devils, they run down the hall
Oh, Johnny be gay
Hmm, six little devils they run down the hall
Cryin', "Take her back, daddy, she's killin' us all"
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Oh, then Devil he flung her up on his back
Oh, Johnny be gay
Then Devil he flung her up on his back
Straight out o' hell he come, clickety-clack
Johnny, be gay if you can be
She found her ol' man layin' late in his bed
Oh, Johnny be gay
'Nd she found her ol' man layin' late in his bed
'Nd she'd picked up a butter knife, went to his head
Johnny, be gay if you can be
The old woman went whistlin' over the hill
Oh, Johnny be gay
The old woman went whistlin' over the hill
"When Devil won't have me, I wonder who will?"
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Johnny, be gay if you can be
Johnny, be gay if you can be