Tuesday September 6, 2022 “The Snake” Al Wilson

This is another of my favorite story songs that might be a cautionary tale for potential stray pet owners, but we’ll get to that later. And while we are doing favorites, “The Snake” was produced by one of my favorite singers/songwriters/producers Johnny Rivers, who also released his own unsuccessful version of this tune.

“The Snake” was written and originally recorded by American singer, songwriter, playwright, poet, civil rights activist Oscsr Brown, and likely isn’t warning folks about having snakes for pets but it did deliver a top forty hit for Al Wilson.

Wilson is probably better known for his number one hit “Show & Tell” which was written and produced by Jerry Fuller who was responsible for most of the Gary Puckett and the Union Gap hits.

Stay safe and well…and there you are, a cautionary tale about caring for stray animals...perhaps a metaphor…or maybe it’s yet another parable like Animal Farm and “At the Zoo”.

On her way to work one morning

Down the path alongside the lake

A tender-hearted woman saw a poor half-frozen snake

His pretty colored skin had been all frosted with the dew

"Oh well," she cried, "I'll take you in and I'll take care of you"

"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)

Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)

Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

 Now she wrapped him up all cozy in a coverture of silk

And laid him by the fireside with some honey and some milk

Now she hurried home from work that night, as soon she arrived

Now she found that pretty snake she'd taken in had been revived

"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)

Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)

Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

 Now she clutched him to her bosom, "You're so beautiful," she cried

"But if I hadn't brought you in by now you might have died"

Now she stroked his pretty skin again and then kissed and held him tight

But instead of saying thanks, that snake gave her a vicious bite (ooh)

"Take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)

Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)

Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

 "I saved you," cried that woman

"And you've bitten me, even why?

And you know your bite is poisonous and now I'm gonna die"

"Oh, shut up, silly woman," said that reptile with a grin

"Now you knew darn well I was a snake before you brought me in"

"Please take me in, oh, tender woman (yes, come on in)

Take me in, for heaven's sake (yes, come on in)

 Take me in, tender woman," sighed the snake

Sighed the snake

Take me in tender woman

(Come on in you pretty snake, come on in)

Snake, snake (yeah, come on in you pretty snake)

Take me in, tender woman (come on in, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Snake (come on in yeah, yeah, yeah)