Little cousin john when he crossed that field, great big steak billy, on that hill
He turned around to do his best, fell right back in the hornet's nest

Up he jump in the way he ran, couldn't catch the boy in the aeroplane
Oh, cousin john, he had no shoes, that's why he had them runnin' blues

Little cousin john was goin' to town, ridin' a gray horse and need no hound
The ol' hound barked, the ol' horse jumped, the ol' cousin john, he's fell on a stone

Oh, cousin john, he promised me, just before he die he make a will for me
Lived so long his head got bald, well, he got out the notion of dyin' at all

Oh, cousin john fairly well, well, I know something but I ain't gonna tell
Well, I know something but I ain't gonna tell, I know something but I ain't gonna tell
I know something but I ain't gonna tell, oh, cousin john