AND THE GREAT BIG SAW CAME NEARER AND NEARER
(Peggy Lee / Paul Weston)

Spike Jones & his City Slickers - 1944
(Vocal: Del Porter & The Boys in the Back Room)


Now he was a saw mill proprietor
And she, a fair maid yet unkissed
One evening he winked his glass eye at her
Then she said "Nay, nay sir, desist
So he dragged her into the saw mill, poor wench
And he took off his belt and strapped her to the bench
And the great big saw came nearer and nearer
And nearer and nearer and nearer
"Be my wife or you will be cut in two"
Said the villain to poor little Vera
But she said "Nay, Nay, though you cut me in twain
The angels will stick me together again"
And the great big saw came nearer and nearer
And nearer and nearer and nearer

The villainous saw mill proprietor
Stood there with a sinister sneer
He should have done something to quiet her
(Scream)
For outside her sweetheart drew near
"Oh someone please save me" was poor Vera's cry
And our hero rushed in with a gleam in his eye
And the great big saw came nearer and nearer
And nearer and nearer and nearer
"Be my wife or you will be cut in two"
Said the villain to poor little Vera
But she said "Nay, Nay, though you've money in banks
I wouldn't wed you if you cut me in planks"
And the great big saw came nearer and nearer
And nearer and nearer and nearer

Her sweetheart dashed up with a cry at her
"Oh save me my darling" she sighed
He knocked out that mean old proprietor
And carried his sweetheart outside
"My hero" she said as they paused for a kiss
"We must wed and prevent situations like this"
So their wedding day came nearer and nearer
And nearer and nearer and nearer
Wedding bells, ding-dong, our hero XXX XXX
While he married his beautiful Vera
But soon tired of marriage she said "Listen here
For goodness sakes, next time please don't interfere"
When the great big saw comes nearer and nearer
And nearer and nearer…(Sawing sounds, Scream & Thud)
And nearer.


(Transcribed by Bill Huntley - October 2005)