You got to change your evil ways, baby
Before I stop loving you
You got to change, baby
And every word that I say is true
You've got me runnin' an' hidin' all over town
You've got me sneakin' an' a'peepin' and runnin' you down
This can't go on, Lord knows you got to change, baby
Baby, when I come home, baby
My house is dark and my pots are cold
You hangin' 'round, baby
With Jean and Joan and a who knows who
I'm getting tired of waitin' and foolin' around
I'll find somebody, that won't make me feel like a clown
This can't go on, Lord knows you got to change
When I come home, baby
My house is dark and my pots are cold
You hangin' 'round, baby
With Jean and Joan and a who knows who
I'm gettin' tired of waitin' and foolin' around
I'll find somebody, that won't make me feel like a clown
This can't go on, yeah yeah yeah
Well, all right, so I've been foolish
Well, all right, let people know
'Bout the dreams and wishes that you dream
In the night when lights are low
Well, all right, well, all right
You know we'll live and love with all our might
Well, all right, well, all right
You know our lifetime love will be all right
Well, all right, so I'm not working
Well, all right, let people say
That those foolish kids can't be ready
For the love that comes their way
If someone of y'all never been down south too much
I'm gonna tell you a little bit about this
So that you'll understand what I'm talking about
Down there we have a plant that grows
Out in the woods and the fields
Looks somethin' like a turnip green
Everybody calls it Polk salad, Polk salad
Used to know a girl that lived down there
And she'd go out in the evenings and pick mess of it
Carry it home and cook it for supper
'Cause that's about all they had to eat
But they did all right
Down in Louisiana where the alligators grow so mean
There lived a girl that I swear to the world
Made the alligators look tame
Polk salad Annie, Polk salad Annie
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was working on chain gang
(A mean, vicious woman)
Everyday 'fore supper time she'd go down by the truck patch
And pick her a mess o' Polk salad and carry it home in a tote sack
Polk salad Annie, 'gators got you granny
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was a workin' on the chain gang
(A wretched spiteful, straight-razor totin' woman)
(Lord have mercy, pick mess of it)
Her daddy was lazy and no count, claimed he had a bad back
All her brothers were fit for was stealin' watermelons out of my truck patch
Polk salad Annie, the 'gators got you granny
Everybody said it was a shame
'Cause her mama was a working on the chain-gang
(Sock a little Polk salad to me)
(You know I need a mess of it)