Build a Levee

When I was just a little girl

My mama said to me

"Beware of the devil, my child

In the dark rocky places he'll keep"

Beware of the devil, my child

Beware of his charming ways

You'll fall under an evil spell

Just looking at his beautiful face

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Don't go walking by the riverside

Alone in the pale moonlight

Come upon you, girl

With no earthly body in sight

Come up upon you, girl

And he'll whisper something sweet

Then take you where the waters rise so high and run so deep

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Build yourself a levee, girl

When the waters run high

Now, when I was just a little girl

My mama said to me

"Beware of the devil, my child

But if by chance you should meet"

Beware of his cold dark eyes

Full of bold and unholy deceit

He'll tempt you with a whirling pool of lies

And promises he'll deny that he will never keep

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Build yourself a levee deep inside

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Build yourself a levee girl

When the waters run high