Verse 1
Well every friday evening, when Jake McClusky’d finished eating,
he’d excuse himself and hurry off to his weekly lodgehall meeting.
Till Ethel Mae his wife found out what no one could dispute;
That that lodgehall was no lodge at all, but a house of ill repute.
Now I don’t think I've ever seen a woman quite that mad before.
She marched right down to that evil place and started kicking in the door.
She yelled, “I know you’re in there, Jake McClusky, you low down philanderin’ liar.”
And then she soaked her down with kerosene, and set the whole dang place on fire.
Well the crowed had gathered up outside but no one moved or spoke.
Till a trembling voice from deep inside said, *cough* *cough* “I smell smoke.”
Then that ole house started shaking, folks began to scream and shout.
Then the door flew off its hinges and, Lord, folks start spewin’ out.
Chorus
Oh the flames (oh the flames), of retribution.
Could be seen (could be seen), from miles around.
Yea there never was so much confusion in a lil’ Georgia town,
As the day that Ethel Mae McClusky burned the lodgehall down.
Verse 2
First judge Oliver Wendell Justice came out runnin’ for his life,
But he turned and ran back in the flames when he caught sight of his wife.
And self ordained Elijah Bane, and evangelist of sorts,
Claimed he’s down there savin’ souls in his pinstripe jockey shorts.
Then out came the mayor, and a banker we all knew.
The police chief, and the sheriff, and a deputy or two.
And when they asked the sheriff what he was doin’ in that den of degradation
He said, “Well me and the boys just carrying out a little undercover investigation.”
And then the ladies of the evening clad in just their lingerie,
Were crying, “We’ve lost everything, how’ll we live, where’ll we stay?”
And then a lawyer said, “I’ll help you file for welfare so you can eat,
And you can all stay out at my place till you can get back off your feet.”
Chorus
Oh the flames (oh the flames), of retribution.
Could be seen (could be seen), from miles around.
Yea there never was so much confusion in a lil’ Georgia town,
As the day that Ethel Mae McClusky burned the lodgehall down.
Verse 3
Now where ole Jake McClusky is today, is anybody’s guess.
He came smokin’ out that back door, in a state of complete undress.
Ran streaking off into the night and no one’s seen him since.
But I’ll always recall how he mooned us all as he cleared the backyard fence.
Chorus x2
Oh the flames (oh the flames), of retribution.
Could be seen (could be seen), from miles around.
Yea there never was so much confusion in a lil’ Georgia town,
As the day that Ethel Mae McClusky burned the lodgehall down.
