Build a Levee

When I was just a little girl
My mama said to me
"Beware of the devil, my child
In the dark rocky places he'll keep"

Beware of the devil, my child
Beware of his charming ways
You'll fall under an evil spell
Just looking at his beautiful face

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside
You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Don't go walking by the riverside
Alone in the pale moonlight
Come upon you, girl
With no earthly body in sight

Come up upon you, girl
And he'll whisper something sweet
Then take you where the waters rise so high and run so deep

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside
Gotta build yourself a levee deep inside
Build yourself a levee, girl
When the waters run high

Now, when I was just a little girl
My mama said to me
"Beware of the devil, my child
But if by chance you should meet"

Beware of his cold dark eyes
Full of bold and unholy deceit
He'll tempt you with a whirling pool of lies
And promises he'll deny that he will never keep

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Build yourself a levee deep inside

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside

Build yourself a levee girl
When the waters run high