Ferdinand the Imposter

Ferdinand standing in the tower

Thinkin' how to get the power

Empress knows that it would cost her

For Ferdinand The Impostor

Came to me to make a deal

Dressed like General Butterfield

Couldn't wait to thank him for

The stuffed birds and rubber door

Donated to him from the poor

It's just his game

And he carries no shame

But he done nobody wrong

He knew he didn't belong

But he went along

Looking to see if there's somebody

Else he'd like to be

Benny the Barber, Luke and me

Passed out tickets cautiously

To see the burning of the soup

Down at Lucy's chicken coop

Then of course Ferdinand

Started out doing Charlie Chan

That last atlas honky's fall

He says he's gonna do them all

A voice just said he's not for real

But it's just his game

And he carries no shame

But he done nobody wrong

He knew he didn't belong

But he went along

Lookin' to see if there's somebody

Else he'd like to be, mainly free

It's hard, oh, don't you know?

To be somebody that you don't even know

But he's friendly, yes he's kind

I can't help wonderin'

Why they'd want to change his mind?

I got a message in the mail

Ferdinand was thrown in jail

I left the snow with Abigail

Went on down to fix his bail

Locked in a gunny sack

His hands were tied behind his back

He claimed he was a Doukhobor

But they never heard of that in Baltimore

The police said

He'd better go home

And he went back alone

Back to the snow

But still he done nobody wrong

He just didn't belong but he went along

Lookin' to see if there's somebody

Else he'd like to be, mainly free