Johnny Paroles

The children play

Out in the wood

Where the children play

The cock crows every morning

All of the boys

In their skeleton suits

Had gathered 'round a mound of roots

Muddy the cross

As black as their boots

Planted and bloodied and warning

They tried to peek

They tried to peek

Pale little bonnets

They tried to peek

The cock crows every morning

"Tell us o dear brothers

What does not sleep?

But hides under the cross's keep?

Small is the grave

And none too deep

Who are we, brothers, here mourning?"


Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny can't be saved

Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny, quiet grave


Each of the boys

Made his hand a spade

His hand a spade

His hand a spade

Each of the boys

Made his hand a spade

The cock crows every morning

They feel in a heap

To claw at the mud

That dyed their knees

And sleeves in rud

Shoveled until

The ground bore blood

With all the blowflies swarming


Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny can't be saved

Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny, quiet grave

Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny can't be saved

Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny, quiet grave


Poked at the grave

'Til it bared its bones

It bared its bones

It bared its bones

Poked at the grave

'Til it bared its bones

The cock crows every morning

Finches and meadowlark

Fowl and wren

With twisted beaks

And eyes of tin

Feathers as red

As an Indian's skin

Savage and painted and warring


Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny can't be saved

Where, o where is Quiet Johnny?

Quiet Johnny, quiet grave


Johnny was quiet

And odd and grim

And odd and grim

And odd and grim

None of us do ever talk to him

The cock crows every morning