"Sleepy-Eyed John" is a song by Johnny Horton that tells the story of a character named Sleepy-Eyed John and his misadventures. The song is set in Candy Creek, where John carves a fiddle from a wagon seat and plays it wherever he goes. The lyrics depict Sleepy-Eyed John stealing a goose, warning it to be quiet so they won't miss their supper in Candyville. John is described as having a wooden leg, made of a small wooden peg, and he does a double-shuffle dance until the cows return home. Sleepy-Eyed John also mentions taking $20 to build a fence but hasn't worked since, indicating that he is not a hard worker. He sells his buggy and plow and wouldn't even trade his journey to heaven for a dollar. The song also includes references to hickory, pine, raccoons, and an old hound, painting a picture of the rural setting in which the story takes place. The phrase "Try to get to heaven 'for the devil gets to you" suggests a sense of urgency in finding salvation. Overall, "Sleepy-Eyed John" is a lighthearted and playful song about a quirky character and his unconventional adventures in Candy Creek.
