Spiders And Snakes

Album: Jim Stafford (1974)
Charted: 14 3
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  • I remember when Mary Lou
    Said, "You want to walk me home from school"
    Well, I said, "Yes, I do"
    She said, "I don't have to go right home
    And I'm the kind that likes to be alone some if you would"
    I said, "Me, too"

    And so we took a stroll
    Wound up down by the swimmin' hole
    And she said, "Do what you want to do"
    I got silly and I found a frog
    In the water by a hollow log
    And I shook it at her and I said "This frog's for you"
    She said

    I don't like spiders and snakes
    And that ain't what it takes to love me
    You fool, you fool
    I don't like spiders and snakes
    And that ain't what it takes to love me
    Like I want to be loved by you

    Well, I think of that girl from time to time
    I call her up when I got a dime
    I say, "Hello, baby"
    She says, "Ain't you cool"
    I say, "Do you remember when?
    And would you like to get together again?"
    She says, "I'll see you after school"

    I was shy and so for a while
    Most of my love was touch and smile
    Till she said, "Come on over here"
    I was nervous as you might guess
    Still looking for somethin' to slip down her dress
    And she said, "Let's make it perfectly clear"
    She said

    I don't like spiders and snakes
    And that ain't what it takes to love me
    You fool, you fool
    I don't like spiders and snakes
    And that ain't what it takes to love me
    Like I want to be loved by you Writer/s: David Bellamy, Jim Stafford
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 11

  • Seventh Mist from 7th HeavenStafford might be better known for his “Wildwood Weed” song. Never smoked any of them weeds myself, but I always liked the song.
  • James from BeamerMy favorite track of Jim's (it's the same as Joanne's) is also NONE OF US ARE HERE from his NOT JUST A PRETTY FOOT album - a beautiful and hypnotic track - this is a cool video of the track https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWl7TN7qCuM
    I can listen to it over and over again.... I love it !
  • Ronald L. Volbrecht from Melbourne, FloridaThe story goes that Jim Stafford & his bandmates were in competition with 2 guys in the battle of the bands that were held quite a lot in the Florida bars and niteclubs. On many occasions, the 2 guys, 1 of which was my brother-in-law, Mike Ocello, they won. As a way of getting his ego back in place, Jim wanted them to play on this album. Mike says it really happened, but I've never bedn able to hear Jim's side of the story. I have reached out to him in Branson, but never got any responce. I would love to find out how much truth there is to this story.
  • Moanin' Lisa from Chillicothe Mo.In '74 I first hear Jim Stafford's song when they became big hits. I loved his first album too. I had his singles: Swamp Witch, Spiders & Snakes, My Girl Bill and that evil Wildwood Weed!! haha! What fun! I used to see commercials for the big Branson, Missouri entertainment complex where there are many concert halls & Stafford was at one of them. I don't know if he still does that or not, since I don't see those commercials on TV any more. Does anyone know? He was quite an entertainer.
  • Joanne from Long Island, Ny, UsaJim Stafford has said that the melody of the song, when it was first written, had more of a Beatles style and feel to it ... but he played around with it for several weeks until it became the song we all know from his recordings. This was Jim Stafford's 2nd (and biggest selling) 45rpm release on a major record label (he released one or two LPs of LIVE performances on a private label before this). His first 45 rpm was SWAMP WITCH.

    SWAMP WITCH ... his first single made it onto the Billboard Top 40 and spent 12 weeks on the Billboard HOT 100 chart. This follow up SPIDERS AND SNAKES spent 28 weeks on the HOT 100 chart and peaked at #3. It was an impressive #16 for the ENTIRE YEAR of 1974 according to Billboard. All in all 7 Jim Stafford songs/singles would make it onto the HOT 100 during the 1970s (and one additional song in the 1980s).

    In the 1960s Stafford was in a high school band 'THE LEGENDS' in Winter Haven FL (the area where he grew up) - with Roland Kent LaVoie (aka Lobo) and Ingram Cecil Connor, III (aka Gram Parsons) - it was one of the earliest bands to play R'n'R in that area of Florida (covering Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, the Everly Brothers, Duane Eddy and the Ventures).

    This web link is for a business card for the band The Legends circa 1962ish ...
    http://www.dizzyrambler.com/features/PolKats/GParsons/63%20Legends%20crd.gif
    Jim Stafford is 2nd from Left ( Gram Parsons is far left ... I do not believe Lobo was in the band at this time and is not pictured here).

    This web link is for a photo of the band The Legends performing circa 1962-3-ish ...
    http://www.dizzyrambler.com/features/GarageBands/Blazers/stafford_lacert.jpg
    Jim Stafford is the one holding the guitar.

    Jim's first single SWAMP WITCH was actually a song Jim was trying to get fellow former Legend band member, Lobo, to record. But Lobo suggested Jim record it instead .... and as they say ... the rest is history (Lobo produced the record).

    To add to what Edward Pearce said above about Jim Stafford's marriage to Bobbie Gentry ('Ode to Billie Joe' fame) their marriage produced a son named Tyler Stafford ...and... it was reported at the time of their wedding that they were working on an album together ... (but none has ever been released).
    Web Link to photo of the two together at the 16th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 30, 1981...
    http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jim-stafford-and-bobbie-gentry-attend-16th-annual-academy-news-photo/115579730

    Oh and my personal favorite of Jim Stafford's songs is 'NONE OF US ARE HERE' from his 'Not Just Another Pretty Foot' LP (with Spiders and Snakes coming in close behind)
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 24th 1974, "Spiders and Snakes" by Jim Stafford peaked at #3 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it entered the chart on November 4th, 1973 at position #97 and spent almost a half-year on the Top 100 (23 weeks)...
    And on March 9th, 1974 it reached #1 (for 1 week) on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart...
    Between 1973 and 1977 he had eight records on the Top 100 chart; with two making the Top 10 (his other Top 10 record was "Wildwood Weed", it peaked at #7 also in 1974)
    Mr. Stafford celebrated his 70th birthday last month on January 16th (2014).
  • Norman from South Mills, Ncmy favorite song by jim stafford is swamp witch.
  • B.l. from Barry, TxGreat song, and I'd love to read the Songfacts on "My Girl Bill," too.
  • Thomas from Somerville, AlJim Stafford had several cute songs during this era. One, I think, was My Girl Bill. He had a quiet Southern charm that made this song and everything he ever did enjoyable. And, bound to raise a smile if not an eybrow or two..Love Stafford.
  • Allen from Chicago, IlJim Stafford was the co-host of "Those Amazing Animals" in the 70's
  • Alan from Sault Ste. Marie, OnReally enjoy this song. It has a certain innocence and charm about it. When you get to my age, 61, songs reflect time and stir memories as this one does.
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