Say Girl
The Turtles Lyrics

Where the crane flies through the marshes
In the nearby swamp where birds fly through the lowland

And the turtles sun their shells
And reptiles bask on logs to warm themselves

Where the water rat goes swimmin'
Where rodents dive and paddle

That's where my swamp girl dwells
That's where the girl who captured my heart lives

Where the sunlight never wanders
In a place where daylight does not penetrate the thick foliage

And the moonlight never falls
Where the trees' leaves block the night sky's light

Where the water's black with the devil's track
Where the water is murky and shadows lurk below

That's where my swamp girl calls
That's where the girl's mysterious summons comes from

What did she say there
What was the message she conveyed in that place

The girl with the golden hair
The one with long sun-colored locks

To make me follow her down there
To entice me to descend into the forbidding swamp

How did she look when she took me by the hand
What was the expression on her face when she led me into the depths

Tonight her hair will float in the water
This evening, her tresses will sway with the current

And the gold will no longer shine
And the luster of her locks will fade

It will spread like a fan in the water
The strands will splay out like a hand-held fan

While she makes a mysterious sign
As she performs an enigmatic gesture

I have seen that sign before
I have observed that exact movement previously

Her eyes aren't like the whippoorwill
The shape and coloring of her eyes are dissimilar to a bird's

And her eyes aren't like the frog
Nor do they resemble those of a green amphibian

Her eyes are like the damned bat
Instead, her eyes are akin to a cursed nocturnal mammal

Stretchin' in the dawn
Glimpsed at daybreak, when these creatures are just settling down

I have seen her face in the water
I have previously spied her reflection in the murky depths

And the chilling look in her eyes
And witnessed the eerie expression in her gaze

And if you see her, then you must flee her
If you encounter her, you should rapidly retreat

Never follow where disillusion lies
Don't fall under the spell of her illusions

Or will you go to the girl with the golden hair
Or will you succumb to the girl's enticing summons

Down there where her work is done
To her encampment where she carries out her mysterious activities

Will you embrace the night
Will you revel in darkness

And turn your back on the sun
And ignore the light of day

She'll say its better there in the water
She'll suggest that the swamp is the superior place to be

Where it's cool and calm and serene
Where the environment is comfortable and placid

She will call you to come to the water
She will entice you to join her in the murky depths

To a world made of emerald green
To another realm that resembles a green gemstone

I have heard that call before
I have previously been lured by that siren's song

I can hear it when I'm teary
I can still detect the summons when feeling sad

I can hear it when I'm old
Or when advanced in years

I can hear it when the joy of living
Even when experiencing the pleasures of daily existence

Seems to have lost its glow
When that happiness starts to feel less luminous

For my Swamp Girl lives inside of me
For that mysterious woman seems to reside in my very soul

And she leaves me pale and wan
And her hold over me imparts a haunting pallor to my complexion

She dares me, she tears me
She challenges, and at times, distresses me

Like paper dolls are torn
In the manner of how one might rip and discard a flimsy plaything

Calling "Come to the deep
Summons to "Come to the profound depths

Where your sleep is without a dream"
Where one's slumber is devoid of visions or fantasies

(Come to the deep where your sleep is without a dream)
Repeating the eerie invitation

Calling...
Continuing to call out to those who are susceptible to her allure