"These old bones will tell your story
These old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely
What you can't see with your eye
These old bones, I shake and rattle
These old bones, I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter
Tells you what the future holds"

Oh, she lived up on the mountain
11 miles or so from town
With a one-eyed cat named Wink
A billy goat and a blue tick hound
Her graying hair was braided
And wrapped around her head
And her dress was long and faded
And her home a rusty shed

In a little pouch of burlap
Tied with a piece of twine
There were bones all shapes and sizes
Gathered through the course of time
She'd throw them out before you
She swore that she could see
The present, past, and future
She could read your destiny

Everybody knew about her
Came to get their fortune read
Concerning health and wealth and power
Who to love and when to wed
"Well, I just like helping people
I'm just glad that I could help
Well, I know everybody's secrets
But I keep it to myself"

"These old bones will tell your story
These old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely
What you can't see with your eye
These old bones, I shake and rattle
These old bones, I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter
Tells you what the future holds"

Some called her a witchy woman
Some said she was insane
Some said she was a prophet
Still everybody came
"Just because a body's different
Well, that don't make them mad
Well, they've crucified a many
For the special gifts they've had"

I had often heard about her
Dreamed about her now and then
For I, too, was clairvoyant
Came about when I was ten
I was fascinated with her
And the things I'd heard about
And I knew some day I'd meet her
And one day it came about

"Well, I knowed that you's a-comin'
I could feel it in my bones
These old bones have also told me
That I won't be here for long
Did you know that you got adopted?
Did you know you once't was mine?
But the county took you from me
Said I wasn't right in mind"

"But I just knowed I had to see you
'Fore these bones was laid to rest
So I conjured up a message
It musta worked, I guess
This gift runs in the family
I know you also know
And I passed this gift on to you
These old bones, they're just for show"

"These old bones will tell your story
These old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely
How to livin', when you'll die
These old bones, I shake and rattle
These old bones, I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter
Tells you what the future holds"

I held her hand while she was dying
And with the funeral through
I headed on back up the mountain
For Billy, Wink and Blue
And that little pouch of burlap
With those bones so worn and old
She gave me something special
Now every time I throw

"These old bones will tell your story
These old bones will never lie
These old bones will tell you surely
What you can't see with your eye
These old bones, I shake and rattle
These old bones, I toss and roll
And it's all in where they scatter
Tells you what the future holds"

"Now I can't tell you what you want to hear (these old bones)
I just tell you what I see (these old bones)
It's these old bones talking (these old bones)
Blame it on them; don't pack it on me (these old bones)
It's just like that time that there boy died (these old bones)
Up at the sawmill (these old bones)
Well, I know'd who done it, but I never said (these old bones)
And I know'd when somebody is a cheating (these old bones)
Or when somebody's baby was going to be born dead (these old bones)
But unless somebody just plain out and asked me (these old bones)
Well, I just figured there is no point (these old bones)
Going around acting like you know everything (these old bones)
Just because you might (these old bones)
Ah, you know girl I want you to take these bones (these old bones)
Because I don't want no young of mine going around unprepared (these old bones)
You just remember that the magic is inside you (these old bones)
There ain't no crystal ball" (these old bones)