Cover art for Chicken Scratch by Rufus Thomas

Chicken Scratch

Rufus Thomas
Track 20 on Stax Singles 4: Rarities & The Best Of The Rest 
19651 viewer

Chicken Scratch Lyrics

Back of the hen house the other night
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
It was awful dark and I had no light
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Scramble around got hold of a goose
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Got the little thing, had turned him loose
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)

(Chicken!)
(Chicken scratch)
Chicken scratch
(Chicken!)
(Chicken scratch)
Chicken scratch

Down behind the hen house on my knees
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Thought I heard a chicken sneeze
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Sneezed so loud with a whoop and cough
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Squeezed his head and the tail broke off
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Yeah hey!
(Chicken!)
(Chicken scratch)
Chicken scratch
(Chicken!)
(Chicken scratch)
Chicken scratch

You take a one-step back and you ball and jack
You shim-shim-shimmy and you pull the tack
You make a little break the you turn it around
Fall off the log and you jump on down!

Out in the wild wood sitting on a log
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
With my finger on the trigger and my eyes on the hog
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
I pulled the trigger and my gun went zip
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)
Jumped on the hog with all my grip!
(Chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chicka-chic)

(Chicken!)
(Chicken scratch)
Chicken scratch
(Chicken!)
(Chicken scratch)
Chicken scratch
Everybody, do the Chicken Scratch
Everybody, do the Chicken Scratch
Everybody, do the Chicken Scratch
Everybody, do the Chicken Scratch

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Stax Singles 4: Rarities & The Best Of The Rest (2018)
  1. 1.
    Deep Down Inside
  2. 2.
    Yeah, Ye-ah
  3. 3.
    All the Way
  4. 4.
    I’ll Never Give Her Up (My Friend)
  5. 5.
    Just Enough to Hurt Me
  6. 6.
    I Found A Brand New Love
  7. 7.
    Fine and Mellow
  8. 8.
    Fannie Mae
  9. 9.
    Sassy
  10. 10.
    I Want To Get Married
  11. 11.
    That’s The Way It Goes
  12. 12.
    Shake Up
  13. 13.
    You Belong to Her
  14. 14.
    Watchdog
  15. 15.
    Free For All
  16. 16.
    I Don’t Want Trouble
  17. 17.
    Sweet Thing
  18. 18.
    I Found Out
  19. 19.
    We’re Tight
  20. 20.
    Chicken Scratch
  21. 21.
    Weak Spot
  22. 22.
    Talkin’ Bout True Love
  23. 23.
    If You Give Up What You Got (You’ll See What You Lost)
  24. 24.
    A Small Portion Of Your Love
  25. 25.
    Don’t Get Caught
  26. 26.
    I’m So Glad You’re Back
  27. 27.
    We’ve Just Been Feeling Bad
  28. 28.
    I Don’t Know
  29. 29.
    Love-Eye-Tis
  30. 30.
    Remove These Clouds
  31. 31.
    Stay With Us
  32. 32.
    So Hard To Get Along With
  33. 33.
    I Like What You’re Doing To Me
  34. 34.
    Over Easy
  35. 35.
    Shouldn’t I Love Him
  36. 36.
    Left Over Love
  37. 37.
    Sweet Things You Do
  38. 38.
    Grab a Handful
  39. 39.
    Consider Me
  40. 40.
    Soul Clap ’69
  41. 41.
    Standing in the Need of Your Love
  42. 42.
    I Thank You
  43. 43.
    Make it Good
  44. 44.
    I’ll Be Your Everything
  45. 45.
    Let Me Ride
  46. 46.
    Sunday Sermon
  47. 47.
    Hi-De-Ho (That Old Sweet Roll)
  48. 48.
    A Love Affair That Bears No Pain
  49. 49.
    Just a Little Overcome
  50. 50.
    Mannish Boy
  51. 51.
    Let Love Fill Your Heart
  52. 52.
    Ridin’ on Love’s Merry-Go-Round
  53. 53.
    I Can’t Win for Losing
  54. 54.
    Ain’t Nobody Like Me Baby
  55. 55.
    Echoes From the Past
  56. 56.
    Did My Baby Call
  57. 57.
    Baby I’m-A Want You
  58. 58.
    Pick Up The Pieces
  59. 59.
    Stop Teasing Me
  60. 60.
    Type Thang
  61. 61.
    In Love With You
  62. 62.
    Since I Lost My Baby’s Love
  63. 63.
    Mama’s Baby (Daddy’s Maybe)
  64. 64.
    Poem on the School House Door
  65. 65.
    That Makes Christmas Day
  66. 66.
    What’s Your Thing
  67. 67.
    Yes Sir Brother
  68. 68.
    Funny
  69. 69.
    Let’s Make A Deal
  70. 70.
    Can’t Give You Up (I Love You Too Much)
  71. 71.
    Jut Ain’t no Love (Without You Here)
  72. 72.
    The Ballad of Otis B. Watson
  73. 73.
    Black Hands White Cotton
  74. 74.
    Love’s Not Hard to Find
  75. 75.
    April
  76. 76.
    Reaching for a Rainbow
  77. 77.
    I Wanna Be Your Baby
  78. 78.
    Why Did It Take So Long
  79. 79.
    Why Did It Take So Long
  80. 80.
    Gypsy
  81. 81.
    Slip Away
  82. 82.
    When Something Is Wrong
  83. 83.
    Good Times Are Coming
  84. 84.
    Some Other Man
  85. 85.
    Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You
  86. 86.
    Would I Be Better Gone?
  87. 87.
    Black Cat Moan
  88. 88.
    She’s a Friend of Mine
  89. 89.
    Rock ’N Roll Warning
  90. 90.
    Conquistadores ’74
  91. 91.
    The Way I’m Needing You
  92. 92.
    Let’s Get Together
  93. 93.
    The Way I’m Needing You
  94. 94.
    Stop it, Quit It
  95. 95.
    Cigarettes
  96. 96.
    It’s Mighty Clear
  97. 97.
    Warm City Baby
  98. 98.
    For A Little While
  99. 99.
    For Your Love
  100. 100.
    Groovy Day
  101. 101.
    And I Love You
  102. 102.
    Smell of Incense
  103. 103.
    Condition Red
  104. 104.
    Family Portrait
  105. 105.
    The Children Have Your Tongue
  106. 106.
    Show Me Your Soul
  107. 107.
    Day In and Out
  108. 108.
    Hey Jack (Don’t Hijack My Plane)
  109. 109.
    Cool My Desire
  110. 110.
    Goodies
  111. 111.
    Miss Rita Famous
  112. 112.
    Someone Something
  113. 113.
    Feel Alright
  114. 114.
    In the Street
  115. 115.
    I Love You Anyway
  116. 116.
    Say What You Mean (Single Edit)
  117. 117.
    O My Soul
  118. 118.
    I Walk the Line
  119. 119.
    September Gurls
  120. 120.
    The Assassination
  121. 121.
    Hush Hush
  122. 122.
    I Don’t Know
  123. 123.
    Wade in the Water
  124. 124.
    Forgive These Fools
  125. 125.
    Our Freedom Song (Free At Last)
  126. 126.
    Press My Dying Pillow
  127. 127.
    God’s Promise
  128. 128.
    Hello Sunshine
  129. 129.
    Tryin’ Time
  130. 130.
    His Love Will Always Be
  131. 131.
    Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool You (Don’t Let the Devil Fool You)
  132. 132.
    There’s Gonna Be A Showdown
  133. 133.
    That Will Be Good Enough for Me
  134. 134.
    The Magnificent Sanctuary Band (Marching for the Man)
  135. 135.
    Better Get a Move On
  136. 136.
    Satisfied
  137. 137.
    I Got To Be Myself
  138. 138.
    He Included Me
  139. 139.
    We’re The Salt Of The Earth
  140. 140.
    Reflections
  141. 141.
    Ain’t No Need Of Crying
Credits
Released in
1965
Tags
Pop
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