This single was recorded on King Jammy’s “Sleng Teng” riddim in the mid 1980s, three years before Saw was killed in a hit and run accident. Pumpkin Belly is a reference to a Jamaican proverb which Saw’s Granny used to ask him “How water walk, go a pumpkin?”. Challenging Saw to explain how water got...
[Intro]
This is a song of the old time proverbs yay
This is a song of the old time proverbs, hey, hey
[Hook 1]
How water walk go a pumpkin belly? Whoa, whoah
Who asks me dat, nuh me ole time granny
From down inna country
She said saw I want to know
She said saw I want to know-oh-oh
How water walk go a pumpkin belly?
Lord God have mercy, hey
Who aks me dat, nuh me ol' time granny
From down inna country
[Verse 1]
Grandma, oh, yes, I know. I won't tell you now
She said, "Saw, seem like you're selling cow
Seem like your selling holy cow"
[Hook 2]
How water walk go a pumpkin belly? Whoa-oh-oh
Who aks me dat, nuh me ole time granny
From down inna country
[Bridge]
That was a old time proverbs
That was a old time proverbs
That was a old time, Lord proverbs, oh
[Verse 2]
She say you must think a so
Queen of England sit down 'pon throne?
Think a so Sugar, Sugar Belly
Became the king of the saxophone?
Whatsoever you want, got to work very hard to gain
Whatsoever you want, she said
I got to work hard, hard to gain!
To gain-gain, to gain-gain
I really got to work very hard to gain, so
[Hook 2]
How water walk go a pumpkin belly? Whoa-oh-oh
Who aks me dat, nuh me ole time granny
From down inna country
[Verse 3]
She said, "Saw, you must be going on like a ginal." Whoa
I said, "No, Grandma, I no ba-diddly-yow
I won't tell you now"
She said, "Son, don't sell no cow
I want you to tell me now, what you say." Hey
[Hook 3]
How water walk go a pumpkin belly? Whoa-oh-oh
Who aks me dat, nuh me ol' time granny
Hey, hey, hey, hey
[Outro]
But, Grandma, I am young, you better have sympathy
So, it would be better if you ask my mummy, hey, hey
Pumpkin Belly was written by Tenor Saw.
Pumpkin Belly was produced by King Jammy.