Bishop Danced

Bishop danced with a thumbscrew woman
Did a double-quick back flip and slid across the floor
The Catholic traffic flowed freely across the river
And fiddlestick fiddled quick out the front door

Oh, baby dumpling, mama's in the back tree
If the bow breaks, mama might fall
Little sad and only, baby don't be lonely
Mama knows arithmetic, knows how to take a fall
Mama knows arithmetic, knows how to take a fall

And the children cried, "Flapjacks, make 'em fat, early in the morning"
Little Jack, grab your hat, hear the breakfast call
Muskrat, bat a cat, kick 'em in the fireplace
Someone's in the kitchen blowing "Dinah" on their horn
Someone's in the kitchen blowing "Dinah" like they're born

Well, maverick daddy got a one-eyed bride
She glides like a monkey-mule kicking on the back slide
Over hill, over hill, daddy don't you spill now
Papa's got a switch stick, he's pumping little Bill
Papa's got a switch stick, he's pumping little Bill

And Billy cries, "Tomahawk, tomahawk, daddy better duck now"
Mohawk, Mohawk, they're still out there in the woods
Monatuk, Ocanuk, running through my dreams now
With fire on their fingertips and engine screams
Fire on their fingertips and feathers made of moonbeams

And early in the morning the cannoneer cried
"I seen the sailor's warning in the western sky"
Oh, mountain man, if you can, cut me down a fir tree
With branches full of candlesticks for baby and me

And baby cries, "Duke, Duke, the weathervane, she's pointing the way to heaven"
Scatterbrains, scatterbrains, watch out where you fall
Champagne, champagne, a round for all the old choir boys
Jumping off the altar chasing Dinah through the hall
They're jumping off the altar chasing Dinah through the hall

And like kids they're crying, "Flapjacks, make 'em fat, early in the morning"
Little Jack, grab your hat, hear the breakfast call
Muskrat, bat a cat, kick him in the fireplace
Someone in the kitchen 's blowing "Dinah" on their horn
Someone in the kitchen 's blowing "Dinah" like they're born