Billy had a mistress down on 'A' an 12th 
She was that little somethin' that he did for himself 
His own little secret didn't hurt nobody 
Come the afternoon he'd take her wadin' 

Waist deep in the big muddy 
Waist deep in the big muddy 
You start out standing but end up crawlin' 

Got in some trouble and needed a hand from a friend of mine 
This old friend he had a figure in mind 
It was nothing illegal just a little bit funny 
He said "C'mon don't tell me that the rich don't know 
Sooner or later it all comes down to money" 

And you're waist deep in the big muddy 
Waist deep in the big muddy 
You start on higher ground but end up crawlin' 

Well I had a friend said "You watch what you do 
Poison snake bites you and you're poison too" 

How beautiful the river flows and the birds they thing 
But you and I we're messier things 
They're ain't no one leavin' this world buddy 
Without their shirttail dirty 
Or their hands bloody 

Waist deep in the big muddy 
Waist deep in the big muddy 
You start on higher ground but end up somehow crawlin' 
Waist deep in the big muddy