The Bottomless Lake - John Prine

Heres the story of a man and his family

And a big trip that they took

Well I heard all about in a restaurant

And I read it in a history book

They rented a car at the erie canal

But the car didn't have no brake

Said ma to pa my God this car

Is gonna fall into the bottomless lake

Well mama turned to daddy with a pale face

Said I've done something horribly wrong

Well the waters still runnin in the bathtub

And I think I left the kitchen light on

Then I heard a crash the car when splash

And the compass rolled around and around

Oh for heavens sake we fell in a lake

And I think were all gonna drown

We are falling down

Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground

Smoke em if you got em

I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

I may never see my sweatheart again

There was plenty of food in the backseat

And the windows were rolled up tight

So we all nibbled on a chicken leg

Told stories way thru the night

Well pa told one that he told before

And the baby got a bellyache

Said ma to pa my God this car

Falling down a bottomless lake

We are falling down

Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground

Smoke em if you got em

I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

Never say is been hard agian

Poppa played the music on the radio

Mama rocked the baby to sleep

He said he wouldve taken the other road

But he didn't think the lake was that deep

Well if the ferry been there at the end of the pier

Wed be half way to uncle jakes

Instead of looking at fish out the window I wish

Wed hit the bottom of the bottomless lake

Stead of looking at fish out the window I wish

Wed hit the bottom of the bottomless lake

We are falling down

Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground

Smoke em if you got em

I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

Never thin is been hard agian

So if you're ever goin on a big trip

Ya better be careful out there

Start everything on you good foot

And wear clean underwear

Take along a Bible in the backseat

Read of david and solomon

For if you make a mistake in the bottomless lake

You may never see your sweetheart again

If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake

You may never see your sweetheart again

If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake

You may never see your sweetheart again