In the past we’ve posted many versions of The Hearse Song that our readers have sent in. Recently we received two versions that somewhat differ from the others. They were sent by Richard Smith. Here they are:
My mother taught me this approximately 1954…
Did you ever think when a hearse went by
That someday it may be you and I.
We’ll travel down that self-sane road
with never a thought of coming back.
They’ll nail you in a pine board box
cover you over with dirt and rocks.
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out
They’ll crawl all in and out your snout.
Your eyes fall out and your teeth fall in
The bugs play pinochle on your chin.
Here is a nicer one that she also taught me…
Did you ever think as the hearse rolled by
That it wont be long until you and I
will go out riding in that big planked hack
and will never remember coming back.
Did you ever think in your thirst for gold
that in a dead mans hand, can’t a dollar hold?
You can lie and cheat and strive and save,
but you loose it all when you get to the grave.
Now it’s better by far this very day
to send some soul a cheap bouquet
than bushels of roses, white and red,
to strew on his coffin after he’s dead.
You come into this world naked and bare,
without a trouble, without a care.
When you leave it to go – you know not where –
If you’ve been alright here, you’ll be all right there.
Many thanks to Richard Smith for sharing these versions of The Hearse Song.
Image: "Gran calavera eléctrica" (Grand electric skull) by José Guadalupe Posada
This article was posted on Monday, July 9th, 2012 at 10:40 am and is filed under American Kids Songs, Arts and Crafts, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, English Children's Songs, Halloween, Halloween Songs, Holiday Songs, Holidays Around the World, Illustrations, Languages, The Hearse Song, USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
10 Responses to “The Hearse Song – 2 More Versions”
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June 3rd, 2015 at 8:52 pm
my version of the hearse song , I can’t remember where I heard it and it’s not complete .
Have you ever thought
When the hearse goes by
Some day you will have to die ?
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
They shut you up in a wooden box
And cover you over with earth and rocks
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Your eyes fall in and your teeth fall out
And your brain comes tumbling down your snout
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
September 24th, 2015 at 10:35 am
Here’s my version, sung for 50 years.
Whenever you see a hearse go by, think of the day you will die, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh.
They put you in a big black box and cover you over with tons of rocks.
It is alright for about a week and then your coffin begins to leak.
Your body turns a sickly green and you know your innards can be seen.
Your nose falls in and your teeth fall out your brain comes trickling down your snout.
The worms go in and the worms go out they go in thin and they come out stout.
They bring their friends and their friends’ friends too, they make an ‘orrible mess of you.
July 9th, 2018 at 2:22 pm
My father used to sing this to me in the 1950’s… Heavily censored I suspect 😉 with lots of extra “ooo ooo ooo ooo’s” being substituted for the goriest lines. I sang it to my children and now grand children… as a lullaby!… the lovely “resonance” of the ooo ooo’s seems soporific to tiny heads resting on the chest… and tells happy memories of my lovely dad…
Have ever you thought as a hearse goes by
That one of these days you are going to die?
Ooo ooo ooo ooo! …. Ooo ooo ooo ooo!
They dress you up in a long white shirt
And cover you over with lots of dirt
Ooo ooo ooo ooo!… Ooo ooo ooo ooo
The worms crawl in and the worms crawl out
They crawl in thin and they crawl out stout
Ooo ooo ooo ooo! Ooo ooo ooo ooo!
They make an ‘orrible mess of you!
November 23rd, 2019 at 9:42 pm
I spent my early years in Michigan. I remember singing this song like this:
The worms crawl in
The worms crawl out
In your stomach and out your mouth
They eat your eyes
They eat your nose
They eat the jelly between your toes
Do you ever think when a hearse goes by
That someday you are going to die
July 7th, 2020 at 1:11 am
I don’t remember much, I think i heard it in a cheap cartoon as a kid, maybe one of the old Casper ones? Anyway it was a deep lilting male voice singing it, bad quality (dated) recording, and all I remember is
Did you ever think as a hearse goes by
That you may be the next to die
March 26th, 2022 at 4:35 pm
Ours went:
Have you ever seen a hearse go by and thought that you’d be the next to die
They put you in a wooden box and cover you up with dirt and rocks
Your arm falls off and goo comes out. Your eyes sink in and your teeth fall out. The worms crawl in and the worms crawl out the ants play pinochle on your snout. Your stomach turns to slimy green and bubbles up like whipping cream
February 6th, 2024 at 8:20 pm
I am looking for all the words to Jessica Sage’s version . . .
Did you ever think when a hearse goes by, You may be the next to die?
They wrap you up in a big white sheet, and bury you down about six feet.
All goes well for about a week, then the coffin begins to leak.
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out, the worms play pinochle about your snout.
That’s all I can remember. I’m 88 !!!
April 2nd, 2024 at 7:18 pm
what I remember of our version (Eastern Ohio – early 1960’s)
…..a hearse goes by, That you might be the next to die;
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out
The ants play pinochle on your mouth
Your mouth turns green, a slimy green
Your guts come out like whipped cream
To bad me without my spoon, but straw
SLIRP!
April 2nd, 2024 at 7:25 pm
I forgot the beginning part in earlier post.
after line “and you might be the next to die” is:
They wrap you up in a sheet, and burry you about 6 feet deep
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out……
Hard to remember some of the funny things, just in pieces.
April 24th, 2024 at 2:45 am
I’m glad I found this because I thought I was crazy singing this from my childhood days.
Did you ever think when a hearse went by that you would be the next to die?
They wrap you up in big white sheets and bury you 6 feet deep.
The worms crawl in the worms crawl out the ants play pinochle on your snout.
The pus runs out like whipping cream and I forgot my spoon…Sluuuurp! 🤢