Description
The Watermelon Man (9:14)
the watermelon man?
the Lord took him to the Promised Land.
you could tell where he was going
by where he’d been.
the watermelon man?
Sittin’ singin’ in the Promised Land.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
he used to come by ‘most every day while mother was away.
he’d sit me on his knee and share a laugh or two.
recounting all the years, well, he would smile in tears
recounting all those years that we had lived this way.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
black grease lived beneath his fingernails and hid
in the cracklines of his skin to keep him warm
while his shirts were always torn
and his shoes were mostly worn
i tell you that man . . . he had a clean face.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
the watermelon man?
the Lord took him to the Promised Land.
you could tell where he was going
by where he’d been.
the watermelon man?
Sittin’ singin’ in the Promised Land.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
One summer when the flies would blacken our old screen door
he came sweating, bleeding, beaten ’til his eyes swelled shut.
i gave him ice and soup
and he was sorry for where he’d stooped to
Then mom came home and he sneaked out through the alley cans.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
Once he met me walking home from school and it was cold.
he gave up his grey-ripped jacket and i felt warm.
As i watched him scurry off
arms locked, he shivvered and coughed.
to this day i still do wonder where he could have gone.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
the watermelon man?
the Lord took him to the Promised Land.
you could tell where he was going
by where he’d been.
the watermelon man?
Sittin’ singin’ in the Promised Land.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
Nearly every summer day, he’d bring a melon by and stay
his laugh could surely sing, O how he’d laugh sometimes.
Reading scriptures from the Bible
he seemed much like a disciple
sitting on our milkbox . . . mostly drunk and sad.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
One June day i waited most of four hours or more
waiting for his worn shoes to scuff on up
and a melon he might bring me
and hug me til’ he’d wring me
and his big eyes they would squint up in a big ole grin.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
But i waited . . . yes, and all that day i waited
watching flies feast on the rinds in the garbage cans
and mom came home crying.
and mom came home crying.
the watermelon man?
the Lord took him to the Promised Land.
you could tell where he was going by where he’d been.
the watermelon man?
Sittin’ singin’ in the Promised Land.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Please save me one more melon . . . if you can.
Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na . . . Na Na Nana Na Na Na Na
the watermelon man?
the Lord took him to the Promised Land.
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