Gumbo John - Tony Joe White

Gumbo John was a swamper

He had a small cafe

A little ol' shack just outside of Baton Rouge

Everybody around said you had it made

If you were looking for the right kind of food

You just kick back and let the evening come

Out on the back porch at Gumbo John’s

Me and the boys in the band were needing a break

We were covered with road dust and the homesick blues

So we decided to stop and spend a few days

Peel a few crawdads… check out the brew

Southern culture on the skids but it sure is fun

Out on the back porch at Gumbo John’s

He had an alligator named Clyde out back in a little stream

He said, boys he’s a friend of mine but he’s still real mean

He said you know I used to play the guitar myself

He held up his hand and just had two fingers left

It was feeding time one evening he’d had a few beers

Guess he got just a little too close… 'cause one chomp

And ol' Clyde he ended his musical career

But he could still rear back and sing that Jolie blonde

Out on the back porch at Gumbo John’s

You just kick back and let the evening come

Out on the back porch at Gumbo John’s, Gumbo John’s