KJ:
There is something wonderful, we can't understand
A rat1 come in here, cutting like a natural man
KJ & MM:
He got a hole in the wall
He got a hole in the wall
And when he get to cutting, you might have heard the poor girl squall
MM:
Boys, that rat is a cutter, you ought to understand
He's cutting somebody, everywhere he lands
KJ & MM:
He got a hole in the wall
He got a hole in the wall
And when he get to cutting, you might have heard the poor girl squall
KJ:
I was over to old man Jones', the other day
He had cut his wife, and 'bout to do his baby, the same old way
KJ & MM:
He got a hole in the wall
He got a hole in the wall
And when he get to cutting, you might have heard the poor girl squall
MM:
The cat jumped at him, and he got away
Boys, if you don't watch that rat, he's gonna steal all your meat away
KJ & MM:
He got a hole in the wall
He got a hole in the wall
And when he get to cutting, you might have heard the poor girl squall
KJ:
I saw old man Collins, might have heard him crying
Boys, the way that woman cut him, he's about to lose his mind
KJ & MM:
He got a hole in the wall
He got a hole in the wall
And when he get to cutting, you might have heard the poor girl squall
__________
Note: KJ is Kansas Joe and MM is Memphis Minnie;
Note 1: rat, as in many other blues songs, the rat symbolizes the male, as in this song, or male genitals;
Note 2: cat, again as in many other blues songs, the cat symbolizes the female or female genitals (pussy). In this song it is a powerful symbolic weapon in the fight against male supremacy. Needless to say that the male/the rat is not victorious in this song.
