"The worms they crept in"

[Patti J. Kurtz]

I grew up in the late 1950's and early 60's in Pittsburgh.  This is
something I remember from long bus rides on field trips to the zoo and
other assorted places-- almost as bad as "100 Bottles of Beer on the wall."

Patti

zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU wrote:

>---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       "Arnold M. Zwicky" <zwicky at CSLI.STANFORD.EDU>
>Subject:      Re: "The worms they crept in"
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>On Sep 16, 2004, at 3:44 PM, Patti J. Kurtz wrote:
>
>
>
>>I remember something like this:
>>
>>"The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the ants play pinochle on
>>your
>>snout."
>>
>>
>
>nice to see that we agree on the pinochle thing.  when and where did
>you grow up, patti?
>
>now that i think about it, it was not just recited in a sing-song way
>but had an actual tune.
>
>ahhh...  for the "crawl" version, 1,670 google hits (raw).  one begins
>pretty much in accordance with my recollection:
>
>  Did you ever think
>  As the hearse rolls by,
>  That sooner or later
>  You're goin' to die,
>
>most of the rest of this version strikes no chords (except for the
>worms).  no pinochle.
>
>but go to
>http://www.goblinville.com/pages/writings/lyrics/worms-crawl.htm
>
>this has the tune!  and most of the words i recognize, including the
>first lines:
>
>Did you ever think, as a hearse goes by,
>That you might be the next to die?
>
>and the pinochle and the wonderfully disgusting:
>
>They eat your eyes, they eat your nose,
>They eat the jelly between your toes.
>
>i leave it to someone else to trace the history of this masterpiece.
>
>arnold
>
>

--

Freeman - And what drives you on, fighting the monster?



Straker - I don't know, something inside me I guess.



Freeman - It's called dedication.



Straker - Pig-headedness would be nearer.