The Bottomless Lake
John Prine Lyrics

Here's the story of a man and his family
The song is about a man and his family who went on a big trip.

And a big trip that they took
The man and his family took a big trip.

Well, I heard all about in a restaurant
The singer heard the story about the trip from someone in a restaurant.

And I read it in a history book
The singer also read about the trip in a history book.

They rented a car at the Erie Canal
The man and his family rented a car near the Erie Canal.

But the car didn't have no brake
The car they rented did not have brakes.

Said ma to pa "My God this car Is gonna fall into the bottomless lake"
The mother in the family realized that the car was going to fall into a bottomless lake.

Well, mama turned to daddy with a pale face
The mother turned to the father looking frightened.

Said "I've done something horribly wrong Well, the waters still runnin' in the bathtub And I think I left the kitchen light on"
The mother had done something wrong and was worried about it. She left the water running in the tub and the kitchen light on.

Then I heard a crash, the car went splash The compass rolled around and around Oh, for Heaven's sake! We fell in a lake And I think we're all gonna drown
The car crashed into the lake and started sinking. The passengers were in danger of drowning.

We are falling down Down to the bottom of a hole in the ground Smoke 'em if you got 'em I'm so scared, I can hardly breathe I may never see my sweetheart again
The passengers in the sinking car are scared and fear they may die and never see their loved ones again.

There was plenty of food in the backseat And the windows were rolled up tight So we all nibbled on a chicken leg Told stories way through the night
Despite the danger, there was still food in the car, and the passengers nibbled on a chicken leg and told stories throughout the night.

Well, pa told one that he told before And the baby got a bellyache Said ma to pa "My God this car's Falling down a bottomless lake"
The father told a story he has told before, and the baby got sick. The mother realizes that the car is still sinking.

Well papa played the music on the radio Mama rocked the baby to sleep He said, he would've taken the other road But he didn't think the lake was that deep
The father played music on the radio and the mother rocked the baby to sleep. The father admits that he would have taken another road if he knew the lake was deep enough to sink the car.

Well, if the ferry had been there at the end of the pier We'd be half way to Uncle Jake's Instead of looking at fish out the window, I wish We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake
The man regrets not taking the ferry to his Uncle's Jake and wishes they had hit the bottom of the lake instead of sinking in it.

'Stead of looking at fish out the window, I wish We'd hit the bottom of the bottomless lake
The man repeats his wish that they had fallen to the bottom of the bottomless lake instead of sinking.

So if you're ever goin' on a big trip You better be careful out there Start everything on your good foot Wear clean underwear
The song is advice that anyone going on a trip should be careful and take care of themselves to avoid accidents and misfortune.

Take along a Bible in the backseat Read of David and Solomon For if you make a mistake in the bottomless lake You may never see your sweetheart again
The song advises taking a Bible along on the trip and reading about David and Solomon. It fears that if anyone makes a mistake in the bottomless lake, they may never see their loved ones again.

If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake You may never see your sweetheart again If you should make a mistake in the bottomless lake You may never see your sweetheart again, that's right
The song repeats the warning that if anyone makes a mistake in the bottomless lake, they may never see their loved ones again.