Commercial lyrics sites are famous for getting lyrics wrong.

Here is John Hartfords version with his story about his buddies in the old days. This is on the Hamilton Ironworks version.

Chicken, Oh Chicken
John Hartford
Hamilton Ironworks
Key of D

Chicken, oh chicken
Better go to roost pretty soon
Chicken oh chicken
Better go to roost behind the moon
Chicken oh chicken
You better go to roost pretty soon
Cause a ten dollar bill for a Shanghai
Is way too high for me.

(Next 5 lines semi-spoken)
Now Homer Dillard played the harmonica and the fiddle
And he danced while he did
I thought that was the greatest thing that I thought I’d ever seen
I think that’s where I got it, yeah, we’d play all night
All the next day and Douglas and I and him, yeah.
(Next lines sung)
And a ten dollar bill for a Shanghai
Is way too high for me.

Chicken, oh chicken
Better go to roost pretty soon
Chicken oh chicken
Better go to roost behind the moon
Chicken oh chicken
You better go to roost pretty soon
Cause a ten dollar bill for a Shanghai
Is way too high for me.