22-20 Blues

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-765-1 Pm-13066

If I send for my baby and she don't come
If I send for my baby and she don't come
All the doctors in West *Conton* they won't help her none

And if she gets unruly and get so she don't want to do
My baby gets unruly and she don't wanna do
Take my thirty-two twenty I cut her half in two

You talk about your forty-four forty, buddy, it'll do very well
Talk about your forty-four forty, buddy, it'll do very well
But my twenty-two twenty, Lord, is a burning hell

Ah, thirty-eight special buddy it's most too light
Aw, that thirty-eight special buddy it's most too light
But my twenty-two twenty make the *camp* go right

Aw, if she gets unruly, thinks she don't wanna do
She gets unruly and she don't want
I'll take my .22-20, I'll cut her half in two

Hey hey hey, and I can't take my rest
Hey hey hey hey, and I can't take my rest
And my forty-four laying up and down my breast

Cherry Ball Blues

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-748-2 Pm-13065

I love my cherry ball better than I love myself
I love my cherry ball better than I love myself
She gets so she don't love me she won't love nobody else

Cherry ball quit me, she quit me in a calm good way
Cherry ball quit me, she quit me in a calm good way
Lordy what to take to get her I carries it every day

I love my cherry ball better than I love myself
My cherry ball better than I love myself
She gets so she don't love me she won't love nobody else

Sure as that spider hanging on the wall
Sure as that spider hanging on the wall
I warned little old cherry ball she was *falling out cold*

I'll catch the Southern and she'll take the Santa Fe
I'll take the Southern and you'll take the Santa Fe
I'm going to ride and ramble till cherry come back to me

Cypress Grove Blues

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-747-2 Pm-13088

I would rather be buried in some cypress grove
I would rather be buried in some cypress grove
To have some woman, Lord, that I can't control

And I'm goin' away now, I'm goin' away to stay
And I'm goin' away now, I'm goin' away to stay
That'll be all right, pretty mama, you going to need my help some day

Well, the sun going down and you know what you promised me
Well, the sun going down and you know what you promised me
And what's the matter, baby, I can't see

I would rather be dead and six feet in my grave
I would rather be dead and six feet in my grave
To be way up here, honey, treated this a-way

Well, the old people told me, baby, but I never did know
Well, old people told me, baby, but I never did know
"The Good Book declare we got to reap just what we sow"

When your knee bones achin' and your body cold
When your knee bones achin' and your body cold
Well, you just getting ready, honey, for the cypress grove

Devil Got My Woman

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-746-1 Pm-13088

I'd rather be the devil to be that woman's man
I'd rather be the devil to be that woman's man

Oh, nothing but the devil changed my baby's mind
Oh, nothing but the devil changed my baby's mind

I laid down last night, laid down last night
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest

My mind got to rambling
Like the wild geese from the west, from the west

The woman I love, Lord, woman that I love
Woman I love stoled her from my best friend

But he got lucky, stoled her back again
But he got lucky, stoled her back again

Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-752-2 Pm-13065

Hard times here everywhere you go
Times is harder than ever been before

Well the people are drifting from door to door
Can't find no heaven I don't care where they go

Mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm

Let me tell you people just before I go
These hard times will kill you just dry long so

Mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm

When you hear me singing my so lonesome song
These hard times can last us so very long

Mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm

If I ever get off this killing floor
I'll never get down this low no more

Oh Lord, Lord, Lord
I'll never get down this low no more

If you say you had money you better be sure
Because these hard times will drive you from door to door

Mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm

Mmm mmm mmm mmm
Mmm mmm mmm mmm

Sing this song and I ain't going to sing no more
Sing this song and I ain't going to sing no more

Mmm mmm mmm mmm
Hard times will drive you from door to door

If You Haven't Got Any Hay Get On Down The Road

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-766-1 Pm-13066

If you haven't got any hay get on down the road
If you haven't got any hay, mama, Lord, Lord, get on down the road
Get on down the road, get on down the road
Get your habit in your hand, mama, Lord, Lord, get on down the road

I'm going, I'm going coming here no more
If I go to Louisiana, mama, Lord, Lord, they'll hang me sure
They'll hang me sure, they'll hang me sure
If I go to Louisiana, mama, Lord, they'll hang me…

If you haven't any hay get on down the road
If you haven't any hay get on down the road

I'm going, I'm going coming back no more
I'm going, I'm going, mama, Lord, Lord coming back no more
Coming back no more, coming back no more
I'm going, I'm going, mama, Lord, Lord coming back no more

Hey hey hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey

Hitch up my buggy, saddle up my black mare
You'll find me riding, mama, Lord, Lord, in this world somewhere
in this world somewhere, in this world somewhere
You'll find me riding, mama, Lord, Lord, in this world somewhere

Get your habit in your hand, get on down the road
Get your habit in your hand, mama, Lord, Lord, get on down the road
Get on down the road, get on down the road
Get your habit in your hand, mama, Lord, Lord, get on down…

Little Cow And Calf Is Gonna Die Blues

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-763-1 Pm-13085

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
And every cow's calf man honey he was born to die

I'm a-milk my heifer, milk her in a churn
I'll milk my heifer, I'll milk her in a churn
If you see my rider tell her it ain't a darn thing doin'

I wring my hands baby and I wanted to scream
I wring my hands honey and I wanted to scream
And I woke up I found out it was all a dream

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
And every cow's calf man honey he was born to die

Hey hey hey, I ain't going to be here long
Hey hey, pretty mama, I ain't going to be here long
That's the reason why you hear me sing my old lonesome song

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
And every cow's calf, honey, got to lay down and die

I walked the levee, I just walked end to end
I walked the levee, honey, from end to end
I just want to find my cow again

I'm stealing back to my used-to-be
I'm stealing, I'm stealing back to my used-to-be
Hey, pretty mama, please don't tell on me

Special Rider Blues

Skip James

Recorded in Grafton, Wisconsin, c. Feb 1931

Paramount Records L-760-2 Pm-13098

I ain't got no special rider here
I ain't got no special rider here
Ain't got nobody, nobody feel my care

I woke up this morning looked at the special rising sun
I woke up this morning looked at the special rising sun
I prayed to the Lord my special rider would come

I'm going tell you something to ease your trouble in mind
Tell you something to ease your trouble in mind
*Them whiskey women* *give* trouble all the time

Now *honey* what more can I do
Now *honey* what more can I do
Hear you done call the easy rider special blues

Special Rider Blues

Skip James

I ain't got no special rider here
I ain't got no special rider...
I ain't got nobody to love and feel my care

I woke up this mornin', looked at the special risin' sun
Got up this mornin', looked at special risin' sun
An' I prayed to the Lord my special rider would go

I sing this song to ease your trouble in mind
Sing this song, ease your trouble in mind
And you stay worried, yeah, and bothered all the time

Hey, hey, what more can I do?
Hey, hey, what more can I do?
Honey, you must want me keep singin' these special blues