Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key
Wilco w/ Billy Bragg Lyrics

She said, "it's hard for me to see
How one little boy got so ugly"

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
There ain't nobody that can sing like me

We walked down by the Buckeye Creek
To see the frog eat the goggle-eye bee
To hear the west wind whistle to the east
There ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Oh, my little girly, will you let me see
Way over yonder where the wind blows free?
Nobody can see in our holler tree

And there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
There ain't nobody that can sing like me

Her mama cut a switch from a cherry tree
And laid it on the she and me
It stung lots worse than a hive of bees
But there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Now I've walked a long long ways
Still look back to my Tanglewood days
I've led lots of girls since then to stray
Saying ain't nobody that can sing like me
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Way over yonder in the minor key
Way over yonder in the minor key
Ain't nobody that can sing like me

Ain't nobody that can sing like me

The song "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" is a folksy ballad that tells the story of a boy who lives in Okfuskee and has a "little girl in a holler tree." The boy tells the girl that there is nobody that can sing like him, to which the girl responds by calling him ugly. However, she agrees that there is nobody that can sing like him. They then walk down to Buckeye Creek to see the frog eat the goggle-eye bee and to hear the west wind whistle to the east. The boy asks the girl to take him to where the wind blows free, but she refuses since nobody can see them in their holler tree.

The second verse tells a story about the girl's mother, who cuts a switch from a cherry tree and lays it on both the girl and the boy. Despite the pain, the boy still maintains that there is nobody that can sing like him. The last verse speaks of how the boy has led many girls astray since his Tanglewood days, but still looks back to those times and says nobody can sing like him.

The song is believed to be a collaboration between Wilco's Jeff Tweedy and British musician Billy Bragg. It was released in 1998 as part of "Mermaid Avenue," a collection of previously unreleased songs and lyrics by Woody Guthrie, which were set to music by Tweedy and Bragg.

I lived in a place called Okfuskee
I resided in a locality dubbed Okfuskee.

And I had a little girl in a holler tree
I had a small daughter situated in a hollow tree.

I said, "little girl, it's plain to see
I addressed my daughter, stating that it's evident,

Ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me"
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

She said, "it's hard for me to see
My daughter replied, expressing difficulty,

How one little boy got so ugly"
Inquiring how I, one little boy, became so hideous.

Yes, my little girly, that might be
Admitting her statement could be true.

But there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Nonetheless, no one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me"
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

There ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

We walked down by the Buckeye Creek
We strolled alongside Buckeye Creek.

To see the frog eat the goggle-eye bee
Observing the amphibian devour the insect.

To hear the west wind whistle to the east
Listening to the western wind whistle towards the eastern region.

There ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me"
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Oh, my little girly, will you let me see
Asking my daughter if she could show me,

Way over yonder where the wind blows free?
The faraway region unrestricted by the wind's force?

Nobody can see in our holler tree
Expressing that no one can view inside our hollow tree.

And there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Similarly, no one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me"
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

There ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Her mama cut a switch from a cherry tree
Her mother severed a branch from a cherry tree.

And laid it on the she and me
Striking both her daughter and me with it.

It stung lots worse than a hive of bees
It caused more agony than a beehive's swarm.

But there ain't nobody that can sing like me
Despite the pain, no one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me"
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Now I've walked a long long ways
Having traveled a great distance,

Still look back to my Tanglewood days
Continuing to reminisce about my past experiences in Tanglewood.

I've led lots of girls since then to stray
I have since caused many girls to deviate from their paths.

Saying ain't nobody that can sing like me
Stating that no one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me"
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

Ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

Way over yonder in the minor key
Distant to the west in the musical note's graver form,

Ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Ain't nobody that can sing like me
No one possesses the skill to sing like me.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Stephen William Bragg, Woody Guthrie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

ncG1vNJzZmirn6O2pLTIrapnm5%2BifLe1w56maI%2BZobCwq9ZeZ2qXcp65rcW%2Be6man5dkpKLFvoitnqqPjryvsMSrloKmj4m1pqusoqWoqo%2BAsro%3D