Waist Deep in the Big Muddy

It was back in 1942, I was a member of a good platoon
 We were on maneuvers in Lousiana one night by the light of the moon
 The captain told us to ford a river, that's how it all begun
 We were knee deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on
 The sergeant said 'sir are you sure this is the best way back to the base?'
 'Sergeant I once forded this river about a mile above this place
 It'll be a little soggy but keep on slogging we'll soon be on dry ground'
 We were waist deep in the Big Muddy and the big fool says to push on
 The sear gent said 'Sir with all this equipment no man will be able to swim'
 'Oh don't be such a nervous Nelly ' the captain said to him
 'All we need is a little determination; follow me I'll lead on'
 We were neck deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
 All at once the moon clouded over, we heard a gurgling cry
 A few seconds later the captain's helmet was all that floated by
 Sergeant said 'Turn around men! I'm in charge from now on'
 We just made it out of the big muddy with the captain dead and gone
 Oh we stripped and dived and found his body, stuck in the old quick sand
 I guess he didn't know that the river was deeper than the place he'd once before been
 Another stream had joined the big muddy about a mile from where we'd gone
 We were lucky to escape from the big muddy when the big fool says to push on
 I'm not going to point to any moral, I'll leave that to yourself
 Maybe you're still walkin' and you're still talkin' and you'd like to keep your health
 But every time I read the paper that old feeling comes back on
 That we're waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
 Waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
 Waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on
 Oh, we're waist deep (waist deep), neck deep (neck deep), soon we'll all be over our heads
 Waist deep in the big muddy and the big fool says to push on