Ry Cooder recorded this, which is why I could find the lyrics on the Internet. I haven't heard the song, so I can't vouch for these:


I CAN TELL BY THE WAY YOU SMELL
Walter Davis

Hey, look here, baby. What's going on?
Step over in the light.
Oh, no! Look here.

Your hair is all wrecked. You're full of sweat.
Your underskirt is wringing wet.
You come in here walking just like a goose.
It looks like somebody just tranked you to loose
You've been doing something.
You've been doing something wrong.
You've been doing something.
You've been doing something wrong.
I can tell by the way you smell.

And there's grandma and grandpa out on the porches.
Must be kidding 'bout her ninety years.
Ain't too old, God almighty, just keep shifting them gears.
Well, you ain't too old; said you ain't too old.
Ain't too old, doing the boogie; you ain't too old.
I can tell by the way they smell.

Well, it's a run here, mama! Just look at little sis.
Got her hand in her toodle, way up to her wrist.
She's doing something wrong. She's doing something wrong.
She's doing something wrong. God knows she's doing it.
I can tell by the way she smell.

Go on and change your clothes!