Pete Seeger - Waist deep in the big muddy

It wa^Ams back in nin^Ceteen forty^F-tw^Dmo, I was a ^Ammember of a go^E7od plato^Amon. We w^Amere o^Cn man^Feuvers in-a Louisi^Cana, one ^Dmnight by the light of the ^E7moon. The ca^Amptain t^Cold us to f^Ford a riv^Cer, th^Dmat's how it all beg^E7un. We were -- knee d^Ameep in the B^Dmig Muddy, but the big f^Fool ^E7said to p^Amush ^Gon.^{F E7}

The Serg^Ameant sai^Cd, "Sir, ^Fare you s^Dmure, this is the ^Ambest way b^E7ack to the ^Ambase?" "Ser^Amgeant, g^Co on! I ^Fforded this rive^Cr 'Bout a ^Dmmile above this pl^E7ace. It'll ^Ambe a litt^Cle soggy bu^Ft just keep slog^Cging, we’ll s^Dmoon be on dry gr^E7ound." We were, waist ^Amdeep in the Bi^Dmg Muddy and the big fo^Fol s^E7aid to pu^Amsh o^Gn. ^{F E7}

The^Am Sergeant sa^Cid, "Sir, w^Fith all this^Dm equipment, no^Am man will be a^E7ble to swim^Am." "Ser^Amgeant, do^Cn't be a Ne^Frvous Nel^Clie," the ^DmCaptain said to ^E7him. "Al^Aml we need^C is a l^Fittle det^Cermination; Men, ^Dmfollow me, I'll lea^E7d on." We were, neck d^Ameep in the Bi^Dmg Muddy and the b^Fig f^E7ool said ^Amto p^Gush^F on^E7.

All^Am at on^Cce, the m^Foon cl^Dmouded over, we ^Amheard a gur^E7gling c^Amry. [Verse] A f^Amew seconds late^Cr, the cap^Ftain's he^Clmet was a^Dmll that floated by.^E7floated by. The Serge^Amant sa^Cid, "T^Furn around men!^C I'm ^Dmin charge from now ^E7on." And we just mad^Ame it out of the Bi^Dmg Muddy with the c^Fapta^E7in dead a^Amnd g^Gone^F. ^E7

We ^Amstripped and ^Cdived and f^Found his ^Dmbody, stuck i^Amn the o^E7ld quicksan^Amd. I gu^Amess he di^Cdn't kn^Fow that the wat^Cer was dee^Dmper than the place he'd once bef^E7ore been. Ano^Amther stre^Cam had ^Fjoined the Big ^CMuddy 'Bout a ^Dmhalf mile from where we'd g^E7one. We were lucky ^Amto escape from the Bi^Dmg Muddy when the b^Fig f^E7ool said ^Amto p^Gush^F on^E7.

Wel^Aml, I^C'm not goi^Fng to po^Dmint any moral, I'll ^Amleave that ^E7for yoursel^Amf Mayb^Ame you're still ^Cwalking, yo^Fu're still talki^Cng you'd li^Dmke to keep your hea^E7lth. But ev^Amery ti^Cme I rea^Fd the pap^Cers that o^Dmld feeling comes on^E7; We're, waist d^Ameep in the Big M^Dmuddy and the big^F foo^E7l says to^Am pus^Gh o^Fn. ^E7

Wais^Amt deep ^Cin the B^Fig Muddy^Dm and the b^Amig fool says^E7 to push on^Am. Wais^Amt dee^Cp in the B^Fig Muddy ^Cand the bi^Dmg fool says to pu^E7sh on. ^AmWaist deep! Nec^Dmk deep! Soon ^Feven a tall man'll be over his head, ^E7we're Wai^Amst deep in the Big ^DmMuddy! and the big ^Ffool^E7 says to push ^Amon!