Standard (EADGBE)

 KEY:

While I was walkin' down the beach

One bright and sunny day

I saw a great big wooden box

A-floatin' in the bay

I pulled it in and opened it up

And much to my surprise

 Oh, I discovered a... (drum riff plays)

Right before my eyes

 Oh, I discovered a... (drum riff plays)

Right before my eyes

I picked it up and ran to town

As happy as a king

I took it to a guy I knew

Who'd buy most anything

But this is what he hollered at me

As I walked in his shop

"Oh, get out of here with that...

Before I call a cop"

"Oh, get out of here with that...

Before I call a cop"

I turned around and got right out

A-runnin' for my life

And then I took it home with me

To give it to my wife

But this is what she hollered at me

As I walked in the door

"Oh, get out of here with that...

And don't come back no more"

"Oh, get out of here with that...

And don't come back no more"

Instrumental interlude

KEY CHANGE-Up a semitone

I wandered all around the town

Until I chanced to meet

A hobo who was lookin' for

A handout on the street

He said he'd take most any old thing

He was a desperate man

 But when I showed him the...

He turned around and ran

 Oh, when I showed him the...

He turned around and ran

UP ANOTHER SEMITONE IN KEY CHANGE

I wandered on for many years

A victim of my fate

Until one day I came upon

St Peter at the gate

And when I tried to take it inside

He told me where to go

 Get out of here with that...

And take it down below

 Oh, get out of here with that...

And take it down below

(on the last verse, play slower)

The moral of this story is

If you're out on the beach

And you should see a great big box

And it's within your reach

Don't ever stop and open it up

That's my advice to you

'Cause you'll never get rid of the...

No matter what you do

Oh, you'll never get rid of the...

No matter what you do