Spiders & Snakes

Album

Secret Songs For Young Lovers

Label

MGM Records

Genre

Swamp Rock

Duration

2:00

Composer(s)

Jim Stafford;David Bellamy

Entered Chart

Nov 10, 1973

Peak Date

Mar 2, 1974

Released

January 2, 1974

Recorded

1973

Catalog #

MGM 14648

B-Side

Undecided

This was written by comedian and musician Jim Stafford together with David Bellamy. It was one of the first songs Bellamy wrote - the lyrics are a humorous retelling of his experiences growing up on a farm in rural Darby, Florida. Along with his brother Howard, David went on to great success as The Bellamy Brothers. Their best known song is "Let Your Love Flow." This was produced by singer songwriter Lobo who in the early 1970s enjoyed transatlantic Top 10 hits with "Me And You and a Dog Named Boo" and "I'd Love You To Want Me." In the 1960s Jim Stafford and Lobo played together in a Florida band called The Legends along with future country-rock legend Gram Parsons. In 1975 Jim Stafford hosted his own prime time TV series where he met singer Bobbie Gentry. They married in 1978 and divorced two years later

I remember when Mary Lou
Said, "You want to walk me home from school"
Well, I said, "Yes, I do"
She said, "I don't have to go right home
And I'm the kind that likes to be alone some if you would"
I said, "Me, too"

And so we took a stroll
Wound up down by the swimmin' hole
And she said, "Do what you want to do"
I got silly and I found a frog
In the water by a hollow log
And I shook it at her and I said "This frog's for you"
She said

I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool
I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me
Like I want to be loved by you

Well, I think of that girl from time to time
I call her up when I got a dime
I say, "Hello, baby"
She says, "Ain't you cool"
I say, "Do you remember when?
And would you like to get together again?"
She says, "I'll see you after school"

I was shy and so for a while
Most of my love was touch and smile
Till she said, "Come on over here"
I was nervous as you might guess
Still looking for somethin' to slip down her dress
And she said, "Let's make it perfectly clear"
She said

I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me
You fool, you fool
I don't like spiders and snakes
And that ain't what it takes to love me
Like I want to be loved by you