“Crooked Mouth”


Sam talks like this (talk out the left side of the mouth)
Sal talks like this (talk out the right side of the mouth)
Pa talks like this (talk out the bottom of the mouth)
Ma talks like this (talk out the top of the mouth)
And brother Bill who’s away to school talks like this (talk normally)

Sam was Sal’s beau and Sam said
[Sam] Will you marry me
[Sal] Alright I will
[Sam] I wish you would
[Sal] Allright I will

Well the family talked for awhile, and when it was time to for bed, Sal said
[Sal] Sam, will you blow out the candle?
[Sam] All right I will
[Sal] I wish you would
[Sam] All right I will
[Sam attempts to blow out the candle, and fails]

[Sam] Well I can’t blow out that candle, you’ll have to do it
[Sal] All right I will
[Sam] I wish you would
[Sal] All right I will
[Sal attempts to blow out the candle, and fails]

[Sal] Well I can’t blow out that candle, I guess I’ll have to call Pa
[Sam] I wish you would
[Sal] All right I will

[Sal] Pa… Pa… Can you come blow out the candle? I’ve tried, and Sam’s tried, and we can’t blow out the candle
[Pa] All right I will
[Sal] I wish you would
[Pa] All right I will
[Pa attempts to blow out the candle, and fails]

[Pa] Well I can’t blow out that candle, you’ll have to call Ma
[Sal] All right I will
[Pa] I wish you would
[Sal] All right I will

[Sal] Ma… Ma… Can you come blow out the candle? I’ve tried, and Sam’s tried, and Pa’s tried, and we can’t blow out the candle
[Ma] All right I will
[Sal] I wish you would
[Ma] All right I will
[Ma attempts to blow out the candle, and fails]

[Ma] Well I can’t blow out that candle, you’ll have to call Bill
[Sal] All right I will
[Ma] I wish you would
[Sal] All right I will

[Sal] Bill… Bill… Can you come blow out the candle? Iv’e tried, and Sam’s tried, and Pa’s tried, and Ma’s tried, and we can’t blow out the candle.
[Bill] All right I will
[Pa] I wish you would
[Bill] All right I will
[Bill licks his fingers and extinguishes the flame]

And it went out.


"Crooked Mouth" - MDB 2015 - Joseph Lyman

"Crooked Mouth" - MDB 1999 - Mat Lyman

"Crooked Mouth" - MDB 1994 - Mat Lyman

"Crooked Mouth" - 1993 St. John Reunion - Mat Lyman

The first person I remember doing the skit was Susan Finlinson, my great-grandmother. Then mother (Grandma Angie Lyman) always did it. Phil (Smith) did it one time in Spanish.
— Aunt Mary Smith

Uncle Phil Smith doing “Crooked Mouth” 1982

At some point later Uncle Mat Lyman began to do it and did it for many years. Then his son Joseph started performing it with a few variations over the years.
— Daniel Lyman