C  

Cane And A High Starched Collar
(Words & music: Sid Tepper / Roy C. Bennett)

Cowboy, cowboy, marry me
I'll bake you a cherry pie
Well, thank you very kindly, ma'am
But I'm too young to die
Hi-lo, dos-à-dos, stay single and save a dollar
Come Saturday night I've caught a pretty gal
In »A Cane And a High Starched Collar«.

Cowboy, if you marry me
I'll be your darling Jenny
Now, why should I drink from just one well
When I can drink from twenty
Hi-lo, dos-à-dos, stay single and save a dollar
Come Saturday night I've caught a pretty gal
In »A Cane And a High Starched Collar«.

Cowboy, cowboy, name the day
July'd be nice I reckon
I'll gladly meet you at the church
July the thirty second
Hi-lo, dos-à-dos, stay single and save a dollar
Come Saturday night I've caught a pretty gal
In »A Cane And a High Starched Collar«.

You sleep all day and spoon all night
And eat your favorite chow
Then why should I get married, ma'am
That's what I'm doing now
Hi-lo, dos-à-dos, stay single and save a dollar
Come Saturday night I've caught a pretty gal
In »A Cane And a High Starched Collar«.

Recorded: 1960/08/08, first released on A Legendary Performer, Vol. 2, January 1976


Can't Help Falling In Love
(Words & music: Hugo Peretti / Luigi Creatore / George David Weiss)

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay? Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be.

Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you.

Like a river flows
Surely to the sea
Darling, so it goes
Some things are meant to be.

Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you
For I can't help falling in love with you.

Recorded: 1960/03/23, first released on Blue Hawaii, October 1961


Carny Town
(Words & music: Fred Wise / Randy Starr)

Aha-ha, hurry, hurry
Step this way
Aha-ha hurry, hurry
Step this way.

Now the show you're going to see
Is strictly high class
There'll be ten hula-dancers
Shaking their grass
Gonna step right up
And put your money down
This way to Carny Town.

We've got a man so skinny
You can see his bones
We play on his ribs
Like a xylophone
With a pair of spoons
We'll get a rocking song
You'll hear it all, in Carny Town.

Hurry, hurry, hurry
The house is almost full
We've got a two-headed cow
And that's no bull
There's a man who swallows swords
And he never gets hurt
He eats-a razorblades for dessert
He's just about the sharpest guy in town
You'll see him here, in Carny Town.

Aha-ha, hurry, hurry
Step this way
Aha-ha, hurry, hurry
Step this way
Aha-ha hurry, hurry
Step this way
Aha-ha I say we're gonna win.

Recorded: 1964/03/03, first released on Roustabout, October 1964


Catchin' On Fast
(Words & music: Bill Giant / Bernie Baum / Florence Kaye)

Won't you show me how to kiss?
Put your lips on mine
Do you do it just like this?
Tell me I'm doing fine
We got a good thing goin'
Now, take your time
Come on and make it last
Love may be new to you
But ooh, I'm catchin' on fast.

Give, give
Gimme all you've got to give
Love, love
Love every moment you live.

Now you've taught me all you know
Have I passed the test?
Show me all you've got to show
Baby, you're the best
But tell me I've learned quickly
And I know each trick
I'm sure love's gonna last
Love maybe new to you
But ooh, I'm catchin' on fast.

Recorded: 1963/09/30, first released on Kissin' Cousins, March 1964


Change Of Habit
(Words & music: Buddy Kaye / Ben Weisman)

If you're in old habits
Set in your old ways
Changes are a-comin'
'Cause these are changing days
And if your head is in the sand
While things are going on
What you need, what you need,
What you need is a change of habit.

Now if you're in the habit
To let your temper fly
When you talk with people
Who don't see eye to eye
And if you don't believe it
That there's a newer world ahead
What you need, what you need
What you need is a change of habit.

A change of habit
A change of outlook
A change of heart
You'll be all right
The halls of darkness
Our doors that open
It's never late
To see the light.

So if you're in the habit
Of putting people down
Just because they're different
From the wrong side of town
Well, don't count on any medals
Son, they're pinning down on you
What you need, what you need
What you need is a change of habit.

A change of habit
A change of outlook
A change of heart
You'll be all right
The halls of darkness
Our doors that open
It's never late
To see the light.

So if you're in the habit
Of putting people down
Just because they're different
From the wrong side of town
Well, don't count on any medals
Son, they're pinning down on you
What you need, what you need
What you need is a change of habit.

A change of habit
A change of habit
A change of habit.

Recorded: 1969/03/06, first released on Let's Be Friends, April 1970


Charro
(Words & music: Mac Davis / Billy Strange)

With eyes that hide the man within
You see behind the eyes of other men
You've lived and died
And come to life again
And now you standing alone
At the crossroads of your mind
You've left your yesterdays behind
But which road leads you to tomorrow?
Charro.

You've turned your back on yesterday
Betrayed a man who swore
He'd make you pay
For when you left you took his bride away
You know he'll never
Let you break away so easily
You'll have to fight before you're free
But how much more time can you borrow?
Charro.

Now in a single moment
Your past grows dim
One thought goes racing
Across your mind
You ride to meet
The woman you stole from him
Oh no, Charro don't go
Charro don't go.

There's something hanging in the wind
Your past is catching up
And closing in
You've been halfway to hell
And back again
And now you laugh in the devil's face
With your last breath
You've run a race with life and death
But will you live to see tomorrow?
Charro.

Recorded: 1968/10/15, first released on single, March 1969


Chesay
(Words & music: Fred Karger / Ben Weisman / Sid Wayne)

What's in the drink
Chase the devil away
Magic I think
So I just say »Chesay«.

Chesay, chesay
Brings you good luck night and day
Chesay, chesay
That's the gypsy way.

Trouble is my middle name
Though it's such a crying shame
Try and try, there's nothing I can do
But I'm feeling kinda strange
Feel like things are gonna change
And my lucky star was shining through.

What's in the drink
Chase the devil away
Magic I think
So I just say »Chesay«.

Chesay, chesay
Brings you good luck night and day
Chesay, chesay
That's the gypsy way.

Chesay, chesay
Brings you good luck night and day
Chesay, chesay
That's the gypsy way.

Chesay, chesay
Brings you good luck night and day
Chesay, chesay
That's the gypsy way
Chesay.

Recorded: 1965/05/14, first released on Frankie And Johnny, April 1966


Cindy, Cindy
(Words & music: Buddy Kaye / Ben Weisman / Dolores Fuller)

Wish I was an apple
Danglin' from a tree
Every time you'd pass me by
You'd take a bite of me.

I wish I was a bluebird
I'd never fly away
I'd sit up on your shoulder, baby
And sing to you all day.

Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home with me.

I wrote it in a letter
Carved it on a tree
Told it to a honeycomb
Told it to a bee.

I told them that I love you
They all know it's true
I'll say it till the cows come home
Until it gets to you.

Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home with me.

Need you in the mornin'
To start the coffee pot
Need you in the afternoon
To fan me when I'm hot.

Need you in the evenin'
When supper time is through
What I'm really tryin' to say
Is I can't get enough of you.

Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home with me.

If I were a musician
I'd harp on just one thing
You should never play my heart
The way you pluck a string.

If only you would love me
Sincerely tell me so
I'd beat the drums about it, baby
To have the whole world know.

Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home with me.

Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home, Cindy, Cindy
Come on home with me.

Recorded: 1970/06/04, first released on Love Letters From Elvis, May 1971


City By Night
(Words & music: Bill Giant / Bernie Baum / Florence Kaye)

When shadows beckon
On dim-lit avenues
Night people hear the call
From hidden alleys
And secret rendez-vous
They come out one and all.

The city by night lies wide awake
It never sleeps, make no mistake
Whatever sets off the spark
A magic glow lights the dark
And I'm intrigued by the sight
Of the city by night.

Those crowded nightclubs
Those picturesque cafés
Are scenes no one forgets
And I'm enchanted
As music softly plays
By dancing silhouettes.

The city by night lies wide awake
It never sleeps, make no mistake
The evening's full of surprise
It's magic opens my eyes
And I'm intrigued by the sight
Of the city by night.

Yeah!

Recorded: 1966/06/28, first released on Double Trouble, June 1967


Clambake
(Words & music: Ben Weisman / Sid Wayne)

(Hey, all right)
Clambake, gonna have a clambake
Clambake, gonna have a clambake.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

Hey listen world you've gotta know
I'm cuttin' loose and lettin' go
Who needs the worry and the strife
Life can be a ball
And I'll just ball away my life.

Clambake, gonna have a clambake
Clambake, gonna have a clambake.

Look for the brightest lights in town
That's where you'll find me
Hangin' 'round
I've got this feeling to be free
I pick and choose the life I want
And that's the life for me.

Clambake, gonna have a clambake
Clambake, gonna have a clambake, hey.

(Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too).

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too
Hey, all right.

Look for the brightest lights in town
That's where you'll find me
Hangin' 'round
I've got this feeling to be free
I'll pick and choose the life I want
And that's the life for me.

Clambake, gonna have a clambake, hey
Clambake, gonna have a clambake.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake, clambake
Mamma's little baby
Loves clambake too.

(Clambake, gonna have a clambake
Clambake, gonna have a clambake).

Recorded: 1967/02/22, first released on Clambake, November 19, 1967


Clean Up Your Own Back Yard
(Words & music: Mac Davis / Billy Strange)

Back porch preacher preaching at me
Actin' like he wrote the Golden Rules
Shakin' his fist and speechin' at me
Shoutin' from his soap-box like a fool
Come Sunday mornin'
He's lyin' in bed
With his eye all red
From the wine in his head
Wishing he was dead
When he oughta be
Headin' for Sunday school.

Clean up your own backyard
Oh don't you hand me
None of your lines
Clean up your own backyard
You tend to your business
I'll tend to mine.

Drugstore cowboy criticizin'
Actin' like he's better than you and me
Standin' on the sidewalk supervisin'
Tellin' everybody how they ought to be
Come closin' time
'Most every night
He locks up tight
And out go the lights
Then he ducks out of sight
And he cheats on his wife
With his employee.

Clean up your own backyard
Oh don't you hand me
None of your lines
Clean up your own backyard
You tend to your business
I'll tend to mine.

Armchair quarterback's always moanin'
Second guessin' people all day long
Pushin', foolin' and hangin' on in
Always messin' where they don't belong
When you get right down
To the nitty-gritty
Isn't it a pity
That in this big city
Not a one a'little bitty
Man'll admit he
Could have been a little bit wrong.

Clean up your own backyard
Oh don't you hand me
None of your lines
Clean up your own backyard
You tend to your business
I'll tend to mine.

Clean up your own backyard
You tend to your business
I'll tend to mine.

Recorded: 1968/10/23, first released on single, June 1969


C'mon Everybody
(Words & music: Joy Byers)

Come on everybody
And snap your fingers now
Come on everybody
And clap your hands real loud
Come on everybody
Take a real deep breath
And repeat after me:
I love my baby, I love my baby
Hey, hey, hey and my baby loves me.

Come on everybody
And whistle this tune right now
Come on everybody
And stomp your feet real loud
Come on everybody
Take a real deep breath
And repeat after me:
I love my baby, I love my baby
Hey, hey, hey and my baby loves me.

Well, there ain't nothing wrong
With the longhaired music
Like Brahms, Beethoven and Bach
Well I was raised with a guitar in my hands
And I was born to rock.

Well, come on everybody
And turn your head to the left
Come on everybody
And turn your head to the right
Come on everybody
Take a real deep breath
And repeat after me:
I love my baby, I love my baby
Hey, hey, hey and my baby loves me.

Well, there ain't nothing wrong
With the longhaired music
Like Brahms, Beethoven and Bach
Well I was raised with a guitar in my hands
And I was born to rock.

Well, come on everybody
And turn your head to the left
Come on everybody
And turn your head to the right
Come on everybody
Take a real deep breath
And repeat after me:
I love my baby, I love my baby
Hey, hey, hey and my baby loves me
My baby loves me
My baby loves me
I said, my baby loves me,

Recorded: 1963/07/09, first released on Viva Las Vegas EP, June 1964


Come Along
(Words & music: David Hess)

Come along, come along
There's a full moon shining bright
Come along, come along
We're gonna hit Saint Louis tonight.

Spend your money
Lookin' at the chorus line
Spend your money
Winnin' on the number nine.

Take your sweetheart
Even though she's never been
If she's worried
Tell her that you always win.

Come along, come along
There's a full moon shining bright
Come along, come along
You're gonna win a fortune tonight.

Hear the whistle
Lady Luck is bound to go
Is she smilin'
Maybe yes or maybe no.

Now's the time when
Nights are filled with sweet romance
Don't be bashful
Step on up and take a chance.

Come along, come along
There's a full moon shining bright
Come along, come along
We're gonna hit Saint Louis tonight.

Come along, come along
You're gonna win a fortune tonight.

Recorded: 1965/05/12, first released on Frankie And Johnny, April 1966


Come What May
(Words & music: Franklyn Tableporter)

I am yours and you are mine
Come what may
Love like ours remains divine
Come what may.

Even though we're miles apart
You're living in my lonely heart
At night the teardrops start
And pour the long, long day.

I've got your picture near me
Since you went away
I plant a kiss upon your lips
Each night and day
Bear in mind that you will find
A heart that is true
And I'll be here with you
Come what may
All right!

I've got your picture near me
Since you went away
I plant a kiss upon your lips
Each night and day.

Bear in mind that you will find
A heart that is true
And I'll be here with you
Come what may
And I'll be here with you
Come what may
And I'll be here with you
Come what may
Ah, ba ba uhm, ba ba uhm, ba ba uhm
Come what may
Ah, ba ba uhm, ba ba uhm, ba ba uhm
Come what may.

Recorded: 1966/05/28, first released on single, 1966


Confidence
(Words & music: Sid Tepper / Roy C. Bennett)

When everyone thought
The world was flat
Columbus said »It's round«
He went down in history
And America was found
'Cause he had confidence
A little thing called confidence
There's no job too immense
When you've got confidence
With a »C« and an »O« and an »N«
And an »F« and an »I« and a »D«
And an »ENCE«
Put 'em all together
And what have you got?
Confidence.

You'll be surprised what you can do
If you will only try
Remember the tortoise and the hare
Who had that famous race
The speedy hare wound up nowhere
And slowpoke took first place
'Cause he had confidence
A little thing called confidence
There's no job too immense
When you've got
Confidence.

You'll be surprised what you can do
If you will only try
Remember the tortoise and the hare
Who had that famous race
The speedy hare wound up nowhere
And slowpoke took first place
'Cause he had confidence
A little thing called confidence
There's no job too immense
When you've got confidence
With a »C« and an »O« and an »N«
And an »F« and an »I« and a »D«
And an »ENCE«
Put 'em all together
And what have you got?
Confi, confi, confidence.

Recorded: 1967/02/22, first released on Clambake, November 19, 1967


Cotton Candy Land
(Words & music: Ruth Batchelor / Bob Roberts)

Sandman's comin'
Yes he's comin'
To sprinkle you with sand
He'll say »One, two, three«
And you'll be
In cotton candy land.

Sandman's comin'
Yes he's comin'
He'll take you by the hand
And you'll ride upon
A big white swan
In cotton candy land.

You and the swan
Will float upon
A cloud of pink ice cream
Where every star
Is a candy bar
And the moon is a marshmallow dream.

Sandman's comin'
Yes he's comin'
Take his magic hand
And now goodnight
And now sleep tight
In cotton candy land
In cotton candy land.

Recorded: 1962/09/22, first released on It Happened At The World's Fair, April 1963


Cottonfields
(Words & music: Huddie »Leadbelly« Ledbetter)

When I was a little bitty baby
My mama would rock me in the craddle
In them old cottonfields back home.

It was down in Louisiana
Just about a mile from Texarkana
In them old cotton fields back home.

Well, when them cottonballs get rotten
You can't pick very much cotton
In them old cottonfields back home.

It was down in Louisiana
Just about a mile of Texarkana
In them old cottonfields back home.

Ta.. ta.. ta...
In them old cottonfields back home.

Well, when them cottonballs get rotten
You can't pick very much cotton
In them old cottonfields back home.

It was down in Louisiana
Just about a mile from Texarkana
Oh, in them old cotton fields back home
In them old cottonfields back home
In them old cottonfields back home.

Recorded: 1970/07/15, first released on That's The Way it Is - Special Edition, June 11, 2000


Could I Fall In Love
(Words & music: Randy Starr)

Could I fall in love
For the very first time?
That's what I ask myself
When you're lips touch mine.

Could I fall in love
On a night like tonight?
That's what I'd like to know
When I hold you tight.

Now that we're alone (Now that we're alone)
Just a kiss apart (Just a kiss apart)
I have the answer
From the feeling in my heart.

Could I fall in love
And forever be true
My heart tells me I could
If I fell for you.

Recorded: 1966/06/28, first released on Double Trouble, June 1967


Crawfish
(Words & music: Fred Wise / Ben Weisman)

Crawfish (Crawfish).

Well I went to the Bayou
Just last night
There was no moon
But the stars were bright
Put a big long hook
On a big long pole
And I pulled Mr. Crawfish
Out of his hole.

Crawfish (Crawfish).

See I got him
See the size
Stripped and cleaned
Before your eyes
Sweet meat, look
Fresh and ready to cook.

Crawfish (Crawfish).

Now take Mr. Crawfish
In your hand
He's gonna look good
In your fryin' pan
If you fry him crisp
Or you boil him right
He'll be sweeter than sugar
With every bite.

Crawfish (Crawfish).

See I got him
See the size
Stripped and cleaned
Before your eyes
Sweet meat, look
Fresh and ready to cook.

Crawfish (Crawfish).

Recorded: 1958/01/15, first released on King Creole, Vol. 2 EP, August 1958


Cross My Heart And Hope To Die
(Words & music: Sid Wayne / Ben Weisman)

I can explain about last night
Though things didn't look just right
Please believe me
There was nothing wrong
I thought about you, baby
All night long
Cross my heart and hope to die
Well, I wouldn't tell you no lie.

You talk about a piece of rotten luck
You do a friend a favor and you
Wind up stuck
She couldn't hold a candle to you
No siree
Very hard to handle
Like a model T
Cross my heart and hope to die
Well, I wouldn't tell you no lie.

Please believe me when I say
Wild horses couldn't drag me away
From you 'cause I
Don't have to look too hard
To see what I got
In my own back yard.

So please forgive me and forget
Don't say my alibi's all wet
I miss those kisses
From your honeycomb
This humble-bumble bee
Just wants to fly back home
Cross my heart and hope to die
Well, I wouldn't tell you no lie.

I wouldn't tell you no lie
No no no no no no
I wouldn't tell you no lie.

Recorded: 1964/06/11, first released on Girl Happy, April 1965


Crying In The Chapel
(Words & music: Arthur Glenn)

You saw me crying in the chapel
The tears I shed were tears of joy
I know the meaning of contentment
Now I am happy with the Lord.

Just a plain and simple chapel
Where humble people go to pray
I pray the Lord that I'll grow stronger
As I live from day to day.

I've searched and I've searched
But I couldn't find
No way on earth
To gain peace of mind.

Now I'm happy in the chapel
Where people are of one accord
Yes, we gather in the chapel
Just to sing and praise the Lord.

You'll search and you'll search
But you'll never find
No way on earth
To gain peace of mind.

Take your troubles to the chapel
Get down on your knees and pray
Then your burdens will be lighter
And you'll surely find the way.

Recorded: 1960/10/30, first released on single, April 1965