Country Music

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Country Music

Ray Stevens – “The Mississippi Squirrel Revival”

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Introduction

Have you ever heard a song that just makes you laugh out loud every time it comes on? That’s “The Mississippi Squirrel Revival” for you. It’s one of those tunes that doesn’t just get stuck in your head—it plays out like a mini-comedy show right in your ears. Imagine a mischievous squirrel wreaking havoc in a sleepy Southern town’s church, and you’ve got the gist of this hilariously heartwarming song.

The genius of “The Mississippi Squirrel Revival” lies in its storytelling. The song spins a yarn about a young boy who, quite innocently, brings a wild squirrel to church. This isn’t just any church session, though—it turns into utter chaos when the squirrel escapes and starts darting from pew to pew. What unfolds is a series of confessions and revelations, as the congregation starts admitting to their sins in the midst of the pandemonium, hoping for divine forgiveness as the squirrel scurries around.

What makes this song truly special is the way it captures a slice of Southern life with humor and a bit of cheekiness. The imagery is so vivid that you can almost see the old ladies fainting and the men shouting, turning a regular Sunday into a spectacle of revelations and laughter. It’s not just a song; it’s a community experience packed into a few minutes of uproarious melody.

“The Mississippi Squirrel Revival” isn’t just funny; it’s a reminder of the unpredictable moments that bring communities together, showing us that sometimes, it takes a little chaos to see the humor in our human follies. The song has a timeless appeal, resonating with anyone who appreciates a good story and a good laugh, making it a cherished piece in the annals of country music.

Video

Lyrics

Ooh, ooh
Well, when I was kid, I’d take a trip
Every summer, down to Mississipp’
To visit my granny in her Antebellum world
I’d run barefooted all day long
Climbing trees, free as a song
One day, I happened to catch myself a squirrel
Well, I stuffed him down in an old shoebox
And punched a couple holes in the top
When Sunday came, I snuck him into church
Well, I sit way back in the very last pew
Showin’ him to my good buddy Hugh
When that squirrel got loose and went totally berserk!
Well, what happened next is hard to tell
Some thought it was Heaven, others thought it was Hell
But the fact that something was among us was plain to see
As the choir sang “I surrender all”
The squirrel ran up Harv Newlan’s coveralls
Harv leaped to his feet and said
“Something’s got a hold on me! Yeah!”
The day the squirrel went berserk
In the First Self-Righteous Church
In that sleepy little town of Pascagoula (Pascagoula)
It was a fight for survival that broke out in revival
They were jumpin’ pews and shouting “Hallelujah!” (Hallelujah!)
You know Harv hit the aisles dancin’ and screamin’
Some thought he had religion, others thought he had a demon
And Harv thought he had a Weed Eater loose in his Fruit-of-the-Looms
He fell to his knees to plead and beg
And that squirrel ran out of his britches leg
Unobserved, to the other side of the room
All the way down to the amen pew
Where sat Sister Bertha better-than-you
Who’d been watchin’ all the commotion with sadistic glee
You should’ve seen that look in her eyes
When that squirrel jumped her garters and crossed her thighs
She jumped to her feet and said, “Lord! Have mercy on me!”
As that squirrel made laps inside her dress
She began to cry and then to confess
To sins that would make a sailor blush with shame
She told the gossip and church dissension
But the thing that got the most attention
Was when she talked about her love life
And then she started naming names
The day the squirrel went berserk
In the First Self-Righteous Church
In that sleepy little town of Pascagoula (Pascagoula)
It was a fight for survival that broke out in revival
They were jumpin’ pews and shouting “Hallelujah!” (Hallelujah!)
Well, seven deacons and then the pastor got saved
And 25, 000 dollars was raised
And 50 volunteered for missions in the Congo on the spot
And even without an invitation
There were at least 500 rededications
And we all got re-baptized whether we needed it or not
Now you’ve heard the Bible story, I guess
How He parted the waters for Moses to pass
All the miracles God has brought to this ol’ world
But the one I’ll remember ’til my dyin’ day
Is how He put that church back on the narrow way
With the heart praise and a Mississippi squirrel
The day the squirrel went berserk
In the First Self-Righteous Church
In that sleepy little town of Pascagoula (Pascagoula)
It was a fight for survival that broke out in revival
They were jumpin’ pews and shouting “Hallelujah!” (Hallelujah!)
The day the squirrel went berserk
In the First Self-Righteous Church
In that sleepy little town of Pascagoula (Pascagoula)
It was a fight for survival that broke out in revival
They were jumpin’ pews and shouting “Hallelujah!” (Hallelujah!)

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