Tom: G G Here's the story of a man and his family D G And a big trip that they took I heard all about it in a restaurant A7 D And I read it in a history book C G They rented a car at the Erie Canal C But the car didn't have no brake G Said ma to pa my God this car D G Is gonna fall into the bottomless lake (Guitar: repeat intro) Well mama turned to daddy with a pale face She said I've done something horribly wrong The water's still runnin' in the bathtub And I think I left the kitchen light on Then I heard a crash, the car went splash The compass rolled around and around Oh, for heaven's sake we fell in a lake And I think we're all gonna drown CHORUS G D We are falling down G Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground Smoke 'em if you got 'em C G I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe D G I may never see my sweetheart again (Guitar: repeat intro) There was plenty of food in the back seat And the windows were rolled up tight So we all nibbled on a chicken leg And told stories way through the night Pa told one that he told before And the baby got a bellyache Said ma to pa, my God this car Is falling down the bottomless lake CHORUS (Guitar: repeat intro) Papa played the music on the radio Mama rocked the baby to sleep He said he would'a taken the other road But he didn't think the lake was that deep If the ferry'd been there at the end of the pier We'd be half way to Uncle Jake's Instead of lookin' at fish out the window, I wish We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake (repeat) Instead of lookin' at fish out the window, I wish We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake CHORUS (guitar: repeat intro twice) So if you're ever goin' on a big trip Ya better be careful out there Start everything on your good foot Wear clean underwear Take along a bible in the back seat Read of David and of Solomon Coz if you make a mistake in the bottomless lake You may never see your sweetheart again If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake You may never see your sweetheart again (repeat) If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake You may never see your sweethearts again