Swan Swan H

R.E.M. · Life's Rich Pageant [1986]

Swan, swan, hummingbird

Hurrah, we are all free now

What noisy cats are we

Girl and dog he bore his cross



Swan, swan, hummingbird

Hurrah, we are all free now

A long, low time ago, people talk to me

Johnny Reb what's the price of fans?

Forty a piece or three for one dollar?

Hey captain don't you want to buy

Some bone chains and toothpicks?



Night wings, her hair chains,

Here's your wooden greenback, sing

Wooden beams and dovetail sweep

I struck that picture ninety times,

I walked that path a hundred ninety,

Long, low time ago, people talk to me



A pistol hot cup of rhyme

The whiskey is water, the water is wine

Marching feet, Johnny Reb, what's the price of heroes?

Six and one half dozen the other,

Tell that to the captain's mother,

Hey captain don't you want to buy,

Some bone chains and toothpicks?



Night wings, her hair chains

Swan, swan, hummingbird

Hurrah, we are all free now

What noisy cats are we



Long, low time ago, people talk to me

A pistol hot cup of rhyme,

The whiskey is water, the water is wine.