Boll Weevil Blues

Lead Belly

Farmer asked the boll weevil «Where you been so long?»
«I been down in the bottom with my long clothes on»

Farmer take the boll weevil, put him in the ice
Boll weevil say to the farmer «You treat me mighty nice »

Farmer take the boll weevil, he put him in the sand
Boll weevil say to the farmer «You just like a man»

Man said to the old lady «What do you thing of that?
I got one of the boll weevil out of my Stetson hat»

Farmer said to the boll weevil «Yes I wish you well »
He said to the boll weevil «I hope you burn in hell»

Boll weevil said to the farmer «I'm gonna swing on your gate
When I get through with your cotton you'll sell your Cadillac eight»

Boll weevil said to the farmer «I'm gonna treat you mean
When I get through with your cotton you'll buy no gasoline»

C. C. Rider

Lead Belly

Recorded in New York, January 23, 1935

ARC Records ARC unissued 16686-

See, see rider, see what you done done, Lord
See, see rider, see what you have done
See, see rider, see what you have done, hey, hey, hey, hey

You made me love you, now your man done come, Lord
Made me love you, now your man has come
Made me love you, now your man has come, hey, hey, hey, hey

I was looking right at her when the sun went down, Lord
Looking right at her when the sun went down
Looking right at her when the sun went down, hey, hey, hey, hey

She was standing in the kitchen in her morning gown
Standing in the kitchen in her morning gown
Standing in the kitchen in her morning gown, hey, hey, hey, hey

Let me be your sidetrack till your mainline comes, babe
Be your sidetrack till your mainline comes
Be your sidetrack till your mainline comes, hey, hey, hey, hey

Death Letter Blues (Part 1)

Lead Belly

Recorded in New York, January 24, 1935

ARC Records ARC unissued 16695-1

Yes she wrote me a letter, what you reckon it read
Yes she wrote me a letter, what you reckon it read
Come home big papa, your loving baby's dead

Spoken:
[???] He goes to the graveyard, he goes back home
He goes to his friend when he got that letter
He goes to the depot and he catch the longest train he's seen
And he didn't stop at no short stops
He read something got it in the hand
And when he got home he went and told his mama

Yes, I went to the depot, caught a train a-flying
I went to the depot, caught a train a-flying
When he walked, in Lord, she was slowly dying

Spoken:
His mama met him at the doorstep
Papa ran to the bedside and told his daughter
And his daughter in law goodbye

My mama said howdy, papa said goodbye
My mama said howdy, papa said goodbye
Poor boy couldn't do nothing, but hang his head and cry

Poor boy couldn't do nothing, but hang his head and cry

Spoken:
He went to the bedside and looked down at his baby's face
She didn't know him from nobody else because it's too late
When he looked down in her face, here's what he said to his mama

Yes he went to the bedside, looked down in her face
Yes he went to the bedside, looked down in her face
Lord, I love you pretty mama, just can't take your place

Death Letter Blues (Part 2)

Lead Belly

Recorded in New York, January 24, 1935

ARC Records ARC unissued 16696-1

So many high *gate* buggies were a-standing around
So many high *gate* buggies were a-standing around
Waiting to take my bay to the burying ground

[SPOKEN: ???]

You didn't taken my baby to the burying ground
You didn't taken my baby to the burying ground
You didn't break my heart, Lord, till you laid her down

[SPOKEN: ???]

Yes, he went to the headboard, fell down on his knees
Ah, he went to the headboard, fell down on his knees
If you speak one word, babe, give my heart some ease

[SPOKEN: ???]

You don't miss your water till your well go dry
Ah, miss your water till your well go dry
You don't miss pretty mama till your hand goodbye

[SPOKEN: ???]

Don't your house look lonesome when your woman is gone
Don't your house look lonesome when your woman is gone
Don't you feel mistreated but you won't let on

Honey I'm All Out And Down

Lead Belly

*Recorded in New York, January 23, 1935

*Banner Records Ba-33359 16688-2

Honey, I'm all out and down, honey

I'm broke, baby, and I ain't got a dime
Every good man gets in hard luck sometimes
Don't you baby, don't you baby, hey, don't you baby, don't you baby, hey

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I'm going to tell my woman like the Dago told the Jew
«You don't want me now, honey, I don't want you»
Tell me baby, tell me baby, hey

Honey, what more you want me to do, honey

Oh, the women in the levee *Charlie because it's most* payday
The men on the levee hollering don't you move your knee
Tell me baby, tell me baby, hey, tell me baby, tell me baby, hey

Oh, the women on the levee, honey, hollering whoa gee
The men on the levee hollering don't you murder me
Please baby, please baby, hey, please baby, please baby, hey

Honey, I'm a long way from home, honey

I'm down in the bottom [?]ing for Johnny Rye
Wouldn't mind a jug, honey, on the mule's behind
*With my line, baby, with my line, baby, with my line, baby, with my line, baby* This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Honey, I'm a long way from you, honey

Yes, a brownskin woman make a preacher lay his Bible down
A jer-blak woman make a jackrabbit hug a hound
Won't you, baby

Leavin' Blues

Lead Belly

I'm leavin' in the morning, mama, and I don't know where to go
I'm leavin' in the morning, mama, and I don't know where to go
'Cause the woman I been livin with for twenty years, mama, says she don't want me no more

Rather see my coffin comin', ooh-Lordy, Lord, in my backdoor
Rather see my coffin comin', ooh-Lordy, Lord, in my backdoor
Than to hear that good lookin' woman tel me to my face, mama, that she can't use me no more

Papa may be crazy this time, ooh, papa ain't nobody's fool
Papa may be crazy this time, ooh, papa ain't nobody's fool
Tis way you carry on mama, boy, she's buckin' like a Georgia mule

I feel like walkin', mama, ooh, and I feel like lyin' down
An' I feel lile walkin', mama, ooh, and I feel like lyin' down
'Cause the woman I been livin' for twenty years, mama, Lord, she done throwed me down

I got holes in my pocket, baby, ooh, I got patches on my pants
Holes in my pocket, baby, ooh, patches on my pants
I'm behind in my house rent, mama, Landlord he want it all in advance

Midnight Special

Lead Belly

Yonder comes miss Rosie
How in the world you know
Well, I know her by the apron
And the dress she wore

Umbrella on her shoulder
Piece of paper in her hand
Well, I heard her tell the Captain
«Turn a-loose my man»

Let the Midnight Special
Shine her light on me
Let the Midnight Special
Shine her ever lovin' light on me

When you gets up in the morning
When that big bell ring
You go marching to the table
You meet the same old thing

Knife and fork are on the table
Ain't nothin' in my pan
And if you say a thing about
You're in trouble with the man

Let the Midnight Special
Shine her light on me
Let the Midnight Special
Shine her ever lovin' light on me

If you ever go to Houston
Boys, you better walk right
And you better not squabble
And you better not fight

Benson Crocker will arrest you
Jimmy Boone will take you down
You can bet your bottom dollar
That you're Sugarland bound

Let the Midnight Special
Shine her light on me
Let the Midnight Special
Shine her ever lovin' light on me

Well, jumping little Judy
She was a mighty fine girl
She brought jumping
To the whole round world

Well, she brought it in the morning
Just a while before day
Well, she brought me the news
That my wife was dead

That started me to grieving,
Whopping, hollering and crying
That started me to thinking
About my great long time

Let the Midnight Special
Shine her light on me
Let the Midnight Special
Shine her ever lovin' light on me

Packin' Trunk Blues

Lead Belly

Recorded in New York, January 23, 1935

Banner Records Ba-33359 16685-1

Spoken: This song was made about a man and a woman. This man he married a woman, she didn’t want him. But she married him anyhow. For the money that he had. And she thought that she got every dollar that he had. But she was mistaken. But she got him pretty well bent: he sat there with his head hung down. She walked by and she said: «Daddy», she said, «what’s the matter with you?» He looked at her and here’s what he said to her:

I’m sitting down here wondering, would a matchbox hold my clothes
I’m sitting down here wondering, would a matchbox hold my clothes
I’m sitting down here wondering, would a matchbox hold my clothes

Spoken: She asked him, she said: «Papa», she said, «What’s the matter with you?»

I don’t want to be bothered with no suitcase on my road
I don’t want to be bothered with no suitcase on my road
I don’t want to be bothered with no suitcase on my road

Spoken: He said: «I’m going to see my friend, and see what he would do when his wife’s packing up her trunk.»

Now what would you do when your baby picking up her trunk
What would you do when your baby picking up her trunk
Now what would you do when your baby picking up her trunk

Spoken: He looked at him and here’s what he told him:

You get half a gallon of whiskey, you get on your big drunk
You get half a gallon of whiskey, you get on your big drunk
You get half a gallon of whiskey, you get on your big drunk

Spoken: She said: «*Ghost*, go and play the piano a piece for me a little piece.» This *ghost* jumped down and commenced playing the piano.

Pig Meat Papa

Lead Belly

*Recorded in New York, March 25, 1935

*ARC unissued 17181-2

Just look a-here, mama, don’t treat pigmeat the way you do
Ooh, don’t treat pigmeat the way you do
Your baby’s pigmeat as anybody in the neighborhood

If you don’t believe it’s pigmeat come in and you won’t regret
Ooh, come in and you won’t regret
I got something about this pigmeat, sweet mama, I ain’t told you yet

I was born and raised in the country, mama, but I’m staying in town
Spoken: In New York City, what I’m talking about
I was born and raised in the country, mama, but I’m staying in town
If you don’t believe this pigmeat, mama, from my head on down

Spoken: She looked at the man, and I looked at the woman; she knowed this was Leadbetter, wasn’t nothing but pure pigmeat. All over Shrevesport Louisiana and all in Texarkana. And I was running with a gal named Sylvanna. She looked at me, and here’s what she said, the last words:

You can take me to the mountain, there will be pigmeat there
You can take me to the mountain, mama, will be pigmeat there
You take a boat to China, *they’ll catch us* anywhere

Ooh, and *catch us* anywhere
Ooh, and *catch us* anywhere
Take a boat to China, then it’s *catch us* anywhere

Roberta (part 1)

Lead Belly

*Recorded in New York, January 23, 1935

*ARC Records ARC unissued 16683-1

Oh, Roberta, honey, where you been so long
Oh, Roberta, honey, where you been so long
You done been across the country a-with my long clothes on

Spoken: He went down to see Roberta. And Roberta was running on them freight passenger trains. And she got tired of seeing him at the station. And she went to running on the steamboat. He went down on the banks of the river. When he got on the banks of the river, he looked way up the river for Roberta

Oh, Roberta, sit down on my knees
Oh, Roberta, sit down on my knees
Got a lot to tell you a-that’s been worrying me

Way up the river, far as I can see
Way up the river, far as I can see
Lord, I thought I spied my old-time used-to-be

Spoken: He thought he spied Roberta; ‘t was nothing but a cypress tree.

Lord, I thought I spied my old-time used-to-be
Yes, I thought I spied my old-time used-to-be
And it was nothing, honey, but a cypress tree

Spoken: When he was down on the river, sitting on the banks of the river, when Roberta come along.

Honey, I’m down on the river, sitting out on the ground
Well, I’m down on the river, sitting out on the ground
Well, I’ll stay right here, Lord, until Roberta come down

Oh, Roberta, tell me where you been so long
Oh, Roberta, tell me where you been so long
Cross country, with my long cold…

Roberta (part 2)

Lead Belly

*Recorded in New York, January 23, 1935

*ARC Records ARC unissued 16684-1

Spoken: This man he was running after Roberta, and Roberta was running on the passenger train. And every station she would pass, this rascal would be sitting right down there looking for her. She got tired of looking at the rascal; she goes and run on the steamboat. And when the steamboat would pass along, he’s sitting down on the ground. And so when the steamboat would get to the landing, the rascal would be right there looking at Roberta’s face. So when Roberta come off the steamboat he looked up and he walked up and talked to her.

Oh, Roberta, what in the world you mean
Tell me, Roberta, what in the world you…
Honey, the way you treat me beats all I ever seen

Spoken: He looked at Roberta and he talked to her. Roberta wouldn’t pay him no attention. He tore up to the police station and he told the chief of police. When he got up there he said to the chief of police.

Lord, I’m going to the station, going to tell the chief of police
Yes, I’m going to the station, going to tell the chief of police
«Roberta done quit me and I can’t see no peace»

Spoken: The police asked him: «How in the world you gonna know Roberta from any other brownskin?»  ‘Cause all of ‘em is brownskin now. The black women is brownskin: they got so much high brown powder, you can’t tell a black woman from a brownskin. He looked at the policeman and here’s what he said:

She’s a brownskin woman, got black wavy hair
She’s a brownskin woman, got black wavy hair
And I can describe her, oh, partner most anywhere

Spoken: The policeman goes on down to the landing with him. And walked up and talked to Roberta. Here’s what the police told him.

Tell me, Roberta, what’s the matter with you
Tell me, Roberta, what’s the matter with you
This man ain’t got nobody to take his troubles to