Ray Stevens – The Preacher And The Bear lyrics

The Preacher and the Bear by Jerry Reed

The preacher went out a huntin', it was on one Sunday morn'
It was against his religion, but he took a shotgun along
He got himself a mess a' mighty fine quail and one old scraggly hare
And on the way home he crossed the path of a Great big grizzly bear

Well the bear got down lookin' ready to charge
The preacher never seen nothin' quite that large
They looked each other right smack in the eye
Didn't take that preacher long to say bye
The preacher he run till he spotted a tree
He said "up in that tree's where I auta be"
By the time that bear made a grab for him
The preacher was a sittin' on top a that limb
Scared to death, he tuned about
He looked to the sky and began to shout,

Chorus;
Hey lord, you delivered Daniel from the bottom of the lion's den
You delivered Joana, from the belly of the whale and then,
The Hebrew children from the fiery furnace so the good books do declare
Hey lord, if you can't help me, for goodness sake don't help that bear

Ya, look out preacher
Well, about that time the limb broke off and the preacher came tumblin' down
Had a straight razor out of his pocket by the time he lit on the ground
He landed on his feet right in front a that bear and lord what an awful fight
The preacher and the bear and the razor and the hair flyin' from left to right

Well first they was up and then they was down, the preacher and the bear runnin' round n' round
The bear he roared and the the preacher he groaned, he was havin' a tough time holdin' his own
He said Lord if I get out a here alive, to the good book I'll abide
No more huntin' on the Sabbath day, come Sunday I'm headin' to the church to pray
Up to the heavens the preacher glanced, he said Lord won't you give me just one more chance
So the preacher got away, he looked around seen a tree where he'd be safe and sound
Jumped on a limb, turned about, looked to the sky and began to shout