Across the Alley From Alamo
The Mills Brothers Lyrics


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Across the alley from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
Who sang a sort of Indian "hi-de-ho"
To the people passin' by

The pinto spent his time a-swishin' flies
And the Navajo watched the lazy skies
And very rarely did they ever rest their eyes
On the people passin' by

One day, they went a walkin' along the railroad track
They were swishin' not a-lookin' Toot! Toot!, they never came back

Oh, across the alley from the Alamo
When the summer sun decides to settle low
A fly sings an Indian "Hi-de-ho"
To the people passing by

Across the alley from the Alamo
Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
Who used to bake frijoles in cornmeal dough
For the people passing by

They thought that they would make some easy bucks
By washin' their frijoles in Duz and Lux
A pair of very conscientious clucks
To the people passin' by

Then they took this cheap vacation, their shoes were polished bright
No, they never heard the whistle, Toot! Toot! They're clear out of sight

Oh, across the alley from the Alamo
When the starlight beams its tender glow
The beams go to sleep and then there ain't no dough
For the people passin' by

One day, they went a walkin' along the railroad track
They were swishin' not a-lookin' Toot! Toot!, they never came back

Oh, across the alley from the Alamo
When the summer sun decides to settle low
A fly sings an Indian "Hi-de-ho"
To the people passin' by





Across the alley from the Alamo

Overall Meaning

The Mills Brothers's song "Across the Alley from the Alamo" is a playful tune that features a pinto pony and a Navajo who live across the alley from the Alamo. The two characters are seen swatting flies and gazing at the sky as people pass them by. They sing a sort of Indian "hi-de-ho" to greet the people as they pass. However, one day, the pinto and the Navajo go for a walk along the railroad track and fail to return. The song suggests that they might have been hit by a train, represented by the sound of a whistle or a "Toot! Toot!" that is heard twice throughout the song.


The lyrics of the song also describe how the pinto and the Navajo used to bake frijoles, a traditional Mexican dish made with beans and cornmeal dough, and sell them to people who passed by. However, they try to improve their earnings by washing their frijoles with Duz and Lux, two popular laundry detergents at the time. This decision shows their naïveté, as they do not understand the impact of using chemicals on food products. They end up taking a "cheap vacation" and disappear just like before.


Overall, "Across the Alley from the Alamo" is a whimsical song that captures the innocence and simplicity of life in the alley. The lyrics suggest that life is best enjoyed by taking things as they come and enjoying the company of others.


Line by Line Meaning

Across the alley from the Alamo
There was a place near the Alamo where something interesting happened


Lived a pinto pony and a Navajo
A pony and a Navajo person lived there


Who sang a sort of Indian "hi-de-ho"
The Navajo sang a traditional Indian song, commonly known as "hi-de-ho"


To the people passin' by
The song was for anyone who happened to walk by


The pinto spent his time a-swishin' flies
The pony spent most of its time trying to get rid of flies


And the Navajo watched the lazy skies
The Navajo person enjoyed watching the sky


And very rarely did they ever rest their eyes
They were always busy with something and rarely took a break


On the people passin' by
They didn't pay much attention to the people walking by


One day, they went a walkin' along the railroad track
One day, they decided to take a walk along the railroad line


They were swishin' not a-lookin' Toot! Toot!, they never came back
While they were walking, they were swishing flies and didn't notice the train coming. They never came back after that


When the summer sun decides to settle low
During the evening when the sun is setting


A fly sings an Indian "Hi-de-ho"
A fly sings the same Indian song that the Navajo used to sing


Who used to bake frijoles in cornmeal dough
The Navajo used to bake beans in cornmeal dough


For the people passing by
They would make and sell the beans to anyone walking by


They thought that they would make some easy bucks
They thought they could make a lot of money with this business


By washin' their frijoles in Duz and Lux
To clean the beans, they used the laundry detergents Duz and Lux


A pair of very conscientious clucks
They were hardworking and caring individuals


Then they took this cheap vacation, their shoes were polished bright
They went on a cheap vacation and looked very neat and tidy


No, they never heard the whistle, Toot! Toot! They're clear out of sight
They didn't hear the train whistle and disappeared from sight


When the starlight beams its tender glow
During nighttime when the stars are shining


The beams go to sleep and then there ain't no dough
They couldn't sell their beans anymore once it got dark and the customers went to sleep




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOE GREENE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@monkegaming709

My 90-year-old teacher showed me this, now I'm obsessed with this era of music.

@idont888

My father played this song when we would take trips to my mother's hometown in North Carolina. I'm 63 my youngest sister who's 53 , knows this song any many more. Thanks Dad. He was shocked when he was in his mid 80's to realize all his kids knew these song's. Not just know them but had them on the phone he just smiled 😃.

@bicparker9275

What, no comments? This is one of the great songs of the 40s.

@CPorter

Agreed

@backlash660

When my daughter was a baby this was one of the songs we used to soothe her whenever she was upset . I have loved it ever since .

@jenlealin3503

My grandma used to sing this when i was a little girl. It took forever to find this song. So glad to hear it.

@myers598

I was introduced to these guys by my grandpa around the year of 2000 when I was in my 20s. These guys and the Ink spots are great artists! I know their songs by heart!

@judyfrancis4515

Look up and listen to the Ames Brothers
Same lovely music with terrific harmonies!

@CamilaLara-xv5sy

Amo esta canción
Gracias

@davidtodora6173

What an oddly done song. My mother was born the the year this song came out. Thanks

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