If one thing in this world I just can't stand Is bein' at the table wit' an ill-mannered man Now, if he's sittin' on your left Before you could eat a bite He'll reach across your plate An' you know that ain't right Now I like to eat, as well as any man But there's some rules, a fool should understand When ya have one little helpin' An' one extra piece of cake I tell ev'rybody, don't go reachin' across my plate I was at a party last night, at over Big Murray Cat reached 'cross my plate Got a coat sleeve in my gravy I didn't say a word, just looked him dead in the eye He reached across my plate, an' cut him a piece a pie Now I don't care if he did it for a prank I don't care, if you had a drink Especially when I'm out, a-with my date Now don't you go reachin' across my plate At a party last week, there was some high-cla** folks Ev'rything on the table, an' that ain't no joke
They had barbecue possum, rattlesnake gravy Chicken fried skunk, an' it smelt real crazy Ev'rything went fine, but one thing made me blue A cat reached across my plate, for some armadillo3 stew Now when you at the table, you act real nice You say, "pa** me that" or "pa** me the platter" But just because you hungry, an' happen to come in late Don't you go reachin', across MY plate "Pa** some a-that turkey over there, baby!" "No, don't give me none of that skunk, I don't want none a-that" "I, I beg your pardon" "If this cat stop reachin' 'cross my plate, I can maybe ask for somethin'" "A pa** me a little a-that turkey there, baby" Na na na na-na-na-na Yeah-heya "Party' nice, party's nice" "Yeah, ah give gimme some a that chicken over there, baby" "Chicken fried skunk? "ah no"