Statesboro Blues / Church Bell Blues

[Instrumental Intro]

Now wake up mama
And turn your lamp down low
Come on, wake up mama
And turn your lamp down low
Where in the world did you get the nerve
To turn me from your door?

You're a mean old woman to treat me this-a way
Nasty little girl to just-a to treat me this-a way
And honey, when I leave New York this time
I'm gonna away to stay

I once had a little woman
She was the best I’d ever seen
I knew a little girl
She was the sweetest thing I’d ever seen
You know she treat me like a king
And like she was the doggone queen

You know my momma left me reckless
And my daddy just drove me wild, wild, wild
My momma let me run reckless
And my daddy died and drove me wild, wild, wild
I know I ain’t good looking
But I swear I'm some sweet woman's angel child

Ah, sister tell your brother
Brother tell your auntie
Auntie tell your uncle
Uncle tell cousin
Cousin tell nephew
Nephew tell your friend
You know I’m going to the country
And mamma don’t you wanna go?
I might take me a nice brunette
And I might bring along one or two more

I said Big Eight left Savannah
Lord, she would not stop
You should’ve outta seen the colored fireman
When he got the boiler hot
Come on reach over mamma
And hand me my traveling shoes
I want you folks to know right now
I got the Stateboro blues

Yes, my mamma had ‘em
My sister had ‘em
My brother had ‘em
My daddy died with ‘em
When I got up this morning
The family had them weary blues
I poked my head down in a corner
And grandma had ‘em too

Ah, give me back the hat I bought you, the big umbrella
Give me back the shoes
I want the dress and all
Ah, if you don’t like your daddy, woman
You ain’t got the right to stand and scrawl
Give me back the wig I bought ya
Let your goddamn head go bald

Hey I done more for ya woman
Way last winter, I suffer through the summer
And I skuffle through the fall
I done more for you woman
Than the good Lord ever done
Hell, I put hair upon your head
And you know He never give you none

Boy, the church bells ringing
The secretary singing
The preachers just-a preaching
Can't you hear the sisters shouting?
And the children in the pulpit
Mamma trying to learn that song
Yes, that low down dirty deacon
Has got my gal and gone

[Instrumental Interlude]

Ya know I can’t be no bank boss, a superintendent
Hey, boys I ain’t getting up on no temple
That I promised the good Lord
Never did no coal
I think I’ll hang around the back and try
And pick up some jellyrolls

Didn’t go fix me no breakfast
Wouldn’t get me no dinner
She spoiled my supper
She threw it outdoors
I think the woman was, ah
Trying to tell me to go
She had the nerve to ask me
Would a matchbox hold my clothes?

Ah, my mamma had ‘em
My sister had ‘em
My brother had ‘em
My daddy when off with ‘em
When I got up this morning
The family had them weary blues
I poked my head down in a corner
And grandma had ‘em too

I’m saying sister tell your brother
Brother tell your auntie
Auntie tell your uncle
Uncle tell nephew
Nephew tell your cousin
Cousin tell your friend
You know I’m going to the country
Mamma don’t you wanna go?
I might take me a high brown woman
And I might bring along one or two more

Ah Big Eight left Savannah
Lord, she would not stop
You should’ve outta seen the colored fireman
When he got the boiler hot
Come on reach over mamma
And hand me my traveling shoes
I want you folks to know right now
I got the Stateboro blues