John Prine

Lyric guide

The Bottomless Lake

Read The Bottomless Lake lyrics by John Prine on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

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Page type: lyric reference Artist: John Prine Canonical path: /prine-john/the-bottomless-lake Related lyric paths: 6

Lyrics

The Bottomless Lake

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Here's the story of a man and his family

And a big trip that they took

Well, I heard all about in a restaurant

And I read it in a history book

They rented a car at the Erie Canal

But the car didn't have no brake

Said Ma to Pa "My God this car"

"Is gonna fall into the Bottomless Lake"

Well, Mama turned to Daddy with a pale face

Said "I've done something horribly wrong"

"Well, the waters still runnin' in the bathtub"

And I think I left the kitchen light on"

Then I heard a crash the car when splash

And 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:

We are falling down

Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground

Smoke 'em if you got 'em

I'm so scared I can hardly breathe

I may never see my sweatheart again

Play once after first verse

There was plenty of food in the backseat

And the windows were rolled up tight

So we all nibbled on a chicken leg

Told stories 'way thru' the night

Well, Pa told one that he told before

And the baby got a bellyache

Said Ma to Pa "My God this car"

"Falling down a Bottomless Lake"

Repeat Chorus:

Poppa played the music on the radio

Mama rocked the baby to sleep

He said he would've taken the other road

But he didn't think the lake was that deep

Well, if the ferry been there at the end of the pier

We'd be half way to Uncle Jake's

Instead of looking at fish out the window I wish

We'd hit the bottom of the Bottomless Lake

'Stead of looking at fish out the window I wish

We'd hit the bottom of the Bottomless Lake

So if you're ever goin' on a big trip

Ya better be careful out there

Start everything on you good foot

And wear clean underwear

Take along a Bible in the backseat

Read of David and Solomon

For 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

If you should make a mistake in the Bottomless Lake

You may never see your sweetheart again

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Who performs "The Bottomless Lake"?

John Prine performs "The Bottomless Lake", and this lyric page sits inside the John Prine catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "The Bottomless Lake"?

Yes. The related section below points to 'Til a Tear Becomes a Rose and Aimless Love with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by John Prine?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through John Prine's lyric pages.

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