Silly song, ain't it?


ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THE ALAMO
Words and music by Joe Greene, ©1947.
As sung by The Mills Brothers on "20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: Best of the Mills Brothers" (2000)

Across the alley from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
Who sang a sort of Indian hi-de-ho
To the people passin' by.

The pinto spent his time a-swishin' flies,
And the Navajo watched the lazy skies,
And very rarely did they ever rest their eyes
On the people passin' by.

One day they went a-walkin'
Along the railroad track.
They were swishin', not a-lookin'.
Toot toot! They never came back

Oh, across the alley from the Alamo,
When the summer sun decides to settle low,
The fly sings an Indian hi-de-ho
To the people passin' by.

Across the alley from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
Who used to bake frijoles in corn-meal dough
For the people passin' by.

They thought that they would make some easy bucks
By washin' their frijoles in Duz an' Lux,*
A pair of very conscientious clucks
To the people passin' by.

Then they took their cheap vacation.
Their shoes were polished white.
Though they never heard the whistle,
Toot toot! They're clear out o' sight.

Oh, across the alley from the Alamo,
When the starlight beams its tender glow,
The beans go to sleep and then there ain't no dough
For the people passin' by.

One day they went a-walkin'
Along the railroad track.
They were swishin', not a-lookin'.
Toot toot! They never came back.

Oh, across the alley from the Alamo,
When the summer sun decides to settle low,
The fly sings an Indian hi-de-ho
To the people passin' by,
Across the alley from the Alamo.


[* Duz and Lux were two brands of laundry detergent.]