The Hearse Song
Encyclopedia
The Hearse Song is a song of unknown origin. It has many variants, but it is usually sung with the lyrics "The Worms Crawl In".
where it was a sung by American and British soldiers.
Lyrics (as told by Alvin Schwartz
):
History
The song dates back to at least World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
where it was a sung by American and British soldiers.
Lyrics (as told by Alvin Schwartz
Alvin Schwartz (children's author)
Alvin Schwartz was the author of more than fifty books dedicated to and dealing with topics such as folklore and word play, many of which were intended for young readers...
):
"Don't you ever laugh as the hearse goes by,
for you may be the next one to die.
They wrap you up in a big white sheet,
from you head down to your feet.
They put you in a big black box,
and cover you up with dirt and rocks.
All goes well for about a week,
then your coffin begins to leak.
The worms crawl in, the worms crawl out,
the worms play pinochle on your snout.
They eat your eyes, they eat your nose,
they eat the jelly between your toes.
A big green worm with rolling eyes crawls in
your stomach and out our eyes.
Your stomach turns a slimy green,
and puss pours out like whipping cream.
You'll spread it on a slice of bread,
and this is what you eat when you are dead."