One thing that even casual observers may recognize as a staple of Donald Trump’s rallies over the past decade is his recitation of the lyrics of the 1963 song “The Snake.” There’s a formula to it. He presents it as a poem as he theatrically pulls out a piece of paper to read it, often saying that he only does this because of all the requests he gets for it. He has read the text so many times that you might wonder why he still needs it written down. After building so much of the Trump 2.0 brand on the feeble-mindedness of his only slightly older predecessor, could he be losing his memory? It’s a distinct possibility. But also, theatrics are his strong suit, and it’s too late to teach him new tricks.

His “poem” was written and recorded by soul singer Oscar Brown (complete lyrics here), although Trump never acknowledges its author. It sold relatively well at the time and was then recorded by Al Wilson in 1968, which became the best-known version. The lyrics tell a story of a woman who finds a “half-frozen snake” on her way to work one morning. She takes the snake in, warms him by the fire, and gives him “some honey and some milk” until he has been revived. But being a snake in a parable, he bites the woman, and before she dies, she asks him how he could do such a thing. His reply:

“Oh shut up, silly woman,” said the reptile with a grin
“You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in”

Each verse ends with the same refrain:

“Take me in, oh tender woman
Take me in, for heaven’s sake
Take me in oh tender woman,” sighed the [vicious] snake.

Brown didn’t include the word “vicious.” That’s just something Trump likes to add, likely because he can’t work out the rhythm otherwise.

The lyrics are not particularly complex, but in context, the story they tell says a number of things about Trump, his supporters, and the way that far-right narratives often function. So the following is going to be an attempt to break down why its content appeals to MAGA movement participants, how Trump’s presentation deviates from what Brown (or Wilson or any other singer who has ever recorded “The Snake”) likely ever intended, and how it fits into the cosmos of reactionary rhetoric more broadly. It’s about gender, it’s about race, it’s about history, and it’s even about empathy. That sounds like a lot to suck out of such a simple song, but its simplicity is what makes it a useful entry point into the broader issue of far-right narrative. So here goes…