Pay the Alligator
Music and lyrics by Butch Hancock, Joe Ely and Jimmie Dale Gilmore



The sheriff pulled me over and he started his jive
In a 20 mile zone I was doin' 25
Son keep your lead foot off the accelerator
If you don't slow down you'll have to pay the alligator

I was countin' my money in the back of my store
IRS come a knockin' at the door
He found me hidin' down behind my own refrigerator
If you don't pay me you gotta pay the alligator

Pay the alligator
Pay the alligator
Onte thing for sure you gotta pay the alligator

The afterlife come and it scared me half to death
I heard Saint Peter mutter underneath his breath
Here, take this bucket we'll talk about it later
You can paint the pearly gate. Or pay the alligator

The Devil caught me lookin' at the thermostat
I told him I'd never touch nothin' like that
He said shut the hell up and do what I say
Or you gonna have the alligator to pay

Pay the alligator
Pay the alligator
It might be sooner and it might be later
One thing for sure you gotta pay the alligator

Order in the court! Suspect on the stand!
He said he saw the witness with a whistle in his hand
The judge said I hate to implicae the perpetrator
But if you jack with the judge, you gotta pay the alligator

You gotta walk on razors and sleep on nails
Talk like ducks and walk like quails
Go blindfolded backwards through the discombobulator
If you don't do it right, you gotta pay the alligator

Pay the alligator
Pay the alligator
It might be sooner and it might be later
One thing for sure you gotta pay the alligator