Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!) Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!)
Bullet dent in the pot where the sheriff missed the spark
Four strings sing, and the fifth one bites in the dark
Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!) Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!)
Pick it up wrong, and it plays you all night
Granny's in the grain, and the grain's gonna bite! (Hey!)

Tesla in the driveway, suit from Music Row
Man with a pedalboard and a smile for the show
Says, "Ma'am, fifty thousand for that old banjo"
I say, "Mister, it's got teeth, and you don't know"
He says, "Radio-friendly, we'll smooth out the ring
Make it sound like honey, make it sound like spring"
I say, "This ain't honey, this is nineteen twenty-six"
Bullet dent, bad timing, and a fifth string with kicks
He picks it up and plays a pretty little lick
Fifth string bites his thumb, and he yelps, "What's this trick?"
"No trick," I say, "that's a family inheritance"
"Granny's in the strings, and she's not your acquaintance"

He wants a duel, so I tune it low
Three (three!), two (two!)
One...
Bite!

Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!) Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!)
He plays pretty, I play ugly, and ugly's what you hear
He plays the radio, I play the steel and the year
Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!) Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!)
Fifty thousand dollars, and I turn it down flat
Some things can't be sold, and the dent's one of that! (Ha!)

Duel on the porch with the neighbors on the rail
He plays a Nashville lick, and it's pretty, and it's pale
I tune it down a half step with the dent in the sound
Whole yard goes quiet, and the hounds all come around
His pedalboard's smoking, and his autotune's in tears
Fifth string bites his finger, and he's crying in his ears
He drops the guitar and he flees for the Tesla
Cable wrapped around him like a bad ex-fella
Hound's on the hood, and he's not gonna move
Suit's in the ditch, and the ditch approves
Mavis in the strings gives a laugh and a grin
Dent in the pot, and the pot's gonna win

Four strings sing!
The fifth one bites!
That's the whole family history, and it's mine tonight!

Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!) Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!)
Pass it down, pass it on, pass it to the girl
With a thumb that bleeds and a flag to unfurl
Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!) Banjo's got teeth! (Teeth!)
Every scar's a verse, and the verse is never quiet
Granny's in the grain, and the grain starts a riot! (Hey!)

Teeth!