Build A Levee Lyrics - Retrospective 1995-2005 - Natalie Merchant

When I was just a little girl 

My mama said to me 

Beware of the devil my child 

In the dark rocky places he'll keep 

Beware of the devil my child 

Beware of his charming ways 

You'll fall under an evil spell 

Just looking at his beautiful face 

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside 

Don't go walking by the riverside 

Alone in the pale moonlight 

He'll come upon you girl 

With no earthy body in sight 

Come up upon you girl 

And he'll whisper something sweet, then take you 

Where the waters rise so high and run so deep 

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside 

Gotta build yourself a levee deep inside 

Build yourself a levee girl 

When the waters run high 

Now when I was just a little girl 

My mama said to me 

Beware of the devil my child 

But if by chance you should meet 

Beware of his cold dark eyes 

Full of bold and unholy deceit 

He'll tempt you with a whirling pool of lies 

And promises he'll deny 

Or that he'll never keep 

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside 

Build yourself a levee deep inside 

You gotta build yourself a levee deep inside 

Build yourself a levee girl when the waters run high