The south coast of Texas is a thin slice of life    It' s salty and hard it it stern as a knife    Where the wind is for blwon' up hurricanes for showin'    The snakes how to swim and the trees how to lean       Chorus    The shrimpers and their ladies are out in the beer joints    Drinkin' em down for they sail with the dawn    They're bound for the Mexican Bay of Campche    And the deck hands are singin' adios Jole Blon       There's snowbirds in search of that sunshine and night life    And fond of greasin' palms down the beach as they're goin'    This livin' on the edge of the waters of the world    Demands the dignity of whooping cranes and    The likes of Gilbert Roland       Chorus    In the cars of my youth how I tore thru those sand dunes    Cut up my tires on them oyster shell roads    But nothin' is forever say the old men in the shipyards    Turnin' trees into shrimp oats Hell I guess they ought to know       Chorus