Lyric Lesson: Skip a Rope

Singer Henson Cargill, whose 1968 hit "Skip a Rope" topped the country charts with its understated take on social problems, has died. He was 66.

Mr. Cargill died March 24 following complications from surgery, Matthews Funeral Home in Edmond, Okla., said.

"Skip a Rope" made it to No. 1 on the Billboard country chart and was a top-25 crossover success on the pop music chart.
- AP, March 30, 2007

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SKIP A ROPE
(Jack Moran/Glenn Tubb)

Also recorded by: Bobby Bare, Gene Vincent, the Kentucky Headhunters, Patti Page, B.J. Thomas, the Harden Trio, Autry Inman, Joe Tex, and Ben Vaughn.

Oh, listen to the children while they play,
Now ain't it kinda funny what the children say,
Skip a rope.

Daddy hates mommy, mommy hates dad,
Last night you shoulda heard the fight they had,
Gave little sister another bad dream,
She woke us all up with a terrible scream.

(CHORUS)

Cheat on your taxes, don't be a fool,
Now what was that they said about a Golden Rule?
Never mind the rules, just play to win,
And hate your neighbor for the shade of his skin.

(CHORUS)

Stab 'em in the back, that's the name of the game,
And mommy and daddy are who's to blame.

Skip a rope, skip a rope,
Just listen to your children while they play,
It's really not very funny, what the children say,
Skip a rope, skip a rope.

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- See also a short essay on Henson Cargill that appeared in No Depression.

- And here's the rest of the record that "Skip a Rope" appears on.

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