Tattle Tale, Tattle Tale

Here's a song I wrote with Lisa Gundling, a songwriter on the website "Just Plain Folks Music."  

An imaginary arrow 
An imaginary bow 
A boy pulls back the bowstring 
And lets the arrow go 

It flies right out the window 
It flies so straight and true 
But a little girl sees it 
And spills the beans at school 

Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail 

Next day the little boy 
Gets hauled into the office 
The little girl is frowning 
"Yes," she says, "I saw it." 

The little boy denies it 
"What proof is there?" says he 
The little girl just frowns some more 
"Who needs proof?" says she 

Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail 

The parents of the children 
Are called to testify 
And both tell the policeman 
"My child would never lie" 

"Well somebody is lying 
And somebody must pay 
"I have no choice," the sergeant says 
"I'll take them both away" 

Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail 

Tomorrow he'll regret 
Playing make believe at school 
And he won't be quite so quick to break 
Imaginary rules 

Tomorrow she'll be sorry 
For all the trouble she got in 
And if she's learned her lesson well 
She'll never snitch again 


Tattle tale, tattle tale 
You belong in jail 
We’re gonna hang your britches 
On a rusty nail

© Lisa Gundling/Dan Sullivan 2013