Leadbelly

Alberta, Alberta,
Where you been so long?
Alberta, Alberta,
Where you been so long?
Ain't had no loving
Since you've been gone.
Alberta, Alberta,
Where'd you stay last night?
Alberta, Alberta
Where'd you stay last night?
Come home this morning,
Clothes don't fit you right
Alberta, Alberta,
Girl, you're on my mind.
Alberta, Alberta,
Girl, you're on my mind.
Ain't had no loving
Such a great long time.
Alberta, Alberta,
Where you been so long?
Alberta, Alberta,
Where you been so long?
Ain't had no loving
Since you've been gone.

Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Black betty had a child (bam-ba-lam)
The damn thing gone wild (bam-ba-lam)
She said, "i'm worryin' outta mind" (bam-ba-lam)
The damn thing gone blind (bam-ba-lam)
I said oh, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)

Oh, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
She really gets me high (bam-ba-lam)
You know that's no lie (bam-ba-lam)
She's so rock steady (bam-ba-lam)
And she's always ready (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)

Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
She's from birmingham (bam-ba-lam)
Way down in alabam' (bam-ba-lam)
Well, she's shakin' that thing (bam-ba-lam)
Boy, she makes me sing (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty bam-ba-lam

Well-a Shorty George, he ain't no friend of mine
He's taken all the women and left the men behind
Well-a Shorty George, he done been here and gone
Yes, Shorty George, he done been here and gone
Lord he left many a poor man a great long way from home
Well my baby caught the Katy, I caught the Santa Fee
Well she caught the Katy, I caught the Santa Fee
Well, you can't quit me, baby, can't you see
Well I went to Galveston, work on the Mallory Line
Went to Galveston, Lord on the Mallory Line
Babe you can't quit me, ain't no use tryin'
Shorty George, travelin' through the land
Shorty George, he's travelin' through the land
Always looking to pick some woman's poor man
When I get back to Dallas, I'm gonna walk and tell
When I get back to Dallas, gonna walk and tell
That the Fort Bend Bottom is a burning hell

You don't know my, don't know me,
You don't know my mind, hey daddy,
You don't know me, you don't know my mind,
When you see me laughin',
I'm laughin' just to keep from cryin'.

You don't know my, don't know me,
You don't know my way, hey papa,
You don't know me, you don't know my way,
When I say get out of here,
Maybe that's just the time to stay.

You don't know my, don't know me,
You don't know my name, hey, hey,
You just don't know me, you don't know my name,
When I say I'm comin',
I may be leaving just the same.

You don't know my, don't know me,
You don't know my way,
You don't know me, you just don't know my way,
Hey I say come tomorrow,
Maybe I mean today.

Oh, you don't know my, don't know me,
And you never will, hey daddy,
You don't know me and you never will,
If you bother me, you know,
You gonna get somebody killed.

Oh, you don't know me, you don't know me,
Don't care if you do, hey papa,
You don't know me, I don't care if you do,
I can do what I want to,
And I never made a fool of you.

Oh you don't know me, you don't know me,
Don't know me at all, hey daddy,
You don't know me, you don't know me at all,
When I say take it easy,
Maybe that's not the time to stall.

Oh you don't know me, you don't know me,
You don't know my mind,
You don't know me, you don't know my mind,
When you see me laughin',
Maybe I'm laughin' to keep from cryin'.

When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night
When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night
Then trouble's takin' place
In the lowlands at night

I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door
There's been enough trouble
To make a poor girl wonder where she wants to go

Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond
I packed all my clothes
Throwed them in and they rowed me along

When it thunders and lightnin' and when the wind begins to blow
When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow
There's thousands of people
Ain't got no place to go

Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill
Then looked down on the house
Where I used to live

Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go
'Cause my house fell down
And I can't live there no more

I can't move no more
I can't move no more
There ain't no place
For a poor old girl to go

Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Black betty had a child (bam-ba-lam)
The damn thing gone wild (bam-ba-lam)
She said, "i'm worryin' outta mind" (bam-ba-lam)
The damn thing gone blind (bam-ba-lam)
I said oh, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)

Oh, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
She really gets me high (bam-ba-lam)
You know that's no lie (bam-ba-lam)
She's so rock steady (bam-ba-lam)
And she's always ready (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)

Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
She's from birmingham (bam-ba-lam)
Way down in alabam' (bam-ba-lam)
Well, she's shakin' that thing (bam-ba-lam)
Boy, she makes me sing (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty (bam-ba-lam)
Whoa, black betty bam-ba-lam

Well the boll weevil and the little black bug
Come from a-Mexico they say
Came all the way to Texas
Just a-lookin' for a place to stay
Just a-lookin' for a home, just a-lookin' for a home
(Doo-doo-wop-wop)
Well the first time that I seen the boll weevil
He was a-sittin' on the square
Well the next time that I seen him
He had his a-family there
Just a-lookin' for a home, just a-lookin' for a home
(Doo-doo-wop-wop)
Well the farmer took the boll weevil
And he put him on the red hot sand
Well the weevil said this is a-mighty hot
But I take it like a man
This will be my home, this will be my home

Well the farmer took the boll weevil
And he put him on a keg of ice
Well the weevil said to the farmer
This is mighty cool and nice
This will be my home, this will be my home
(Doo-doo-wop-wop)
Well if anybody should ask you
Who it was who sang this song
Say a guitar picker from a-Oklahoma city
With a pair of blue jeans on
Just a-lookin' for a home, just a-lookin' for a home
(Doo-doo-wop-wop)

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, you got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Well, mama killed a chicken
She thought it was a duck
She put him on the table
With his legs stickin' up

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, you got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now, a nickel is a nickel
A dime is a dime
I need no girl
If she won't wind

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, you got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now she may look old
Ninety years
She ain't too old
To make you shed tears

She's got to bottle it up and go
Well, she's got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now I told my girl
A week before last
The gait she's comin'
Is just a little too fast

She's got to bottle it up and go
Well, she's got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now look-a-here, babe
I steal out at night
Ain't none of your business
You don't do me right

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, she's got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go.

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, you got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Well, mama killed a chicken
She thought it was a duck
She put him on the table
With his legs stickin' up

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, you got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now, a nickel is a nickel
A dime is a dime
I need no girl
If she won't wind

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, you got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now she may look old
Ninety years
She ain't too old
To make you shed tears

She's got to bottle it up and go
Well, she's got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now I told my girl
A week before last
The gait she's comin'
Is just a little too fast

She's got to bottle it up and go
Well, she's got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go

Now look-a-here, babe
I steal out at night
Ain't none of your business
You don't do me right

You got to bottle it up and go
Well, she's got to bottle it up and go
Yes, them high-powered women
Sure got to bottle it up and go.

Love, oh love, oh careless love
You've fly through my head like wine
You've wrecked the life of a many poor girl
And you nearly spoiled this life of mine

Love, oh love, oh careless love
In your clutches of desire
You've made me break a many true vow
Then you set my very soul on fire

Love, oh love, oh careless love
All my happiness bereft
You've filled my heart with weary old blues
Now I'm walkin', talkin' to myself

Love, oh love, oh careless love
Trusted you now, it's too late
You've made me throw my old friend down
That's why I sing this song of hate

Love, oh love, oh careless love
Night and day, I weep and moan
You brought the wrong man into this life of mine
For my sins, till judgment I'll atone

Those who dance and romance while they dance
They seem so happy and gay
Though they sing and they swing as they sway
Somehow I can't feel that way

For I'm dancing with tears in my eyes
'Cause the boy/girl in my arms isn't you
Dancing with somebody new
When it's you that my heart's calling to

Trying to smile once in a while
But I find it so hard to do
For I'm dancing with tears in my eyes
'Cause the boy/girl in my arms isn't you

While the throng's in the spell of a song
My thoughts keep drifting to you
While each pair seems to share their affair
They're making me blue

For I'm dancing with tears in my eyes
'Cause the boy/girl in my arms isn't you
Dancing with somebody new
When it's you that my heart's calling to

Trying to smile once in a while
But I find it so hard to do
For I'm dancing with tears in my eyes
'Cause the boy/girl in my arms isn't you

She's a noted rider
Whoa, she ain't no good
She got drunk this mornin'
Woke up her neighbours

She take me to her house
She called me honey
I thought she loved me
But, she just wanted my money
Shes a noted rider
Whoa, she ain't no good

I made a date with her
About half past ten
Knocked on her door
She said you ain't comin' in

She's a noted rider
Whoa' she ain't a bit of good

There is a house in New Orleans
They call the rising sun
And its been the ruin of many a poor boy
And me oh god im one.

Im going to tell my baby sister
Please dont do like i have done
Please shun that house in New Orleans
They call the Rising sun.

If I had Listened to what my Mama said
I would not be here today
You'd have been so young and foolish wild
I let her ramble Orleans this way.

Im going back to New Orleans
My race is almost won
Im going back to spend the rest of my life
Benieth the rising sun.

John Henry was a li'l baby, uh-huh,
Sittin' on his mama's knee, oh, yeah,
Said: "De Big Bend Tunnel on de C & O road
Gonna cause de death of me,
Lawd, Lawd. Gonna cause de death of me.

John Henry, he had a woman,
Her name was Mary Magdalene,
She would go to de tunnel and sing for John,
Jes' to hear John Henry's hammer ring, Lawd, Lawd,
Jes' to hear John Henry's hammer ring.

John Henry had a li'l woman,
Her name was Lucy Ann,
John Henry took sick an' had to go to bed,
Lucy Ann drove steel like a man,
Lawd, Lawd, Lucy Ann drove steel like a man.

Cap'n says to John Henry,
Gonna bring me a steam drill 'round,
Gonna take dat steam drill out on de job,
Gonna whop dat steel on down, Lawd, Lawd,
Gonna whop dat steel on down.

John Henry tol' his cap'n,
Lightnin' was in his eye;
Cap'n, bet yo' las' red cent on me,
Fo' I'll beat it to de bottom or I'll die, Lawd, Lawd,
I'll beat it to de bottom or I'll die."

Sun shine hot an' burnin',
Wer'n't no breeze a-tall,
Sweat ran down like water down a hill,
Dat day John Henry let his hammer fall,
Lawd, Lawd, dat day John Henry let his hammer fall.

John Henry went to de tunnel,
An' dey put him in de lead to drive,
De rock so tall an' John Henry so small,
Dat he lied down his hammer an' he cried,
Lawd, Lawd, dat he lied down his hammer an' he cried.

John Henry started out on de right hand,
De steam drill started on de lef'---
"Before I 'd let dis steam drill beat me down,
I'd hammer my fool self to death,
Lawd, Lawd, I'd hammer my fool self to death."
White man tol' John Henry,

"Nigger, damn yo' soul,
You might beat dis steam an' dr;ll of mine,
When de rocks in dis mountain turn to gol',
Lawd, Lawd, when de rocks in dis mountain turn to gol'.

John Henry said to his shaker,
"Nigger, why don' you sing?
I'm throwin' twelve poun's from my hips on down,
Jes' listen to de col' steel ring,
Lawd, Lawd, Jes' listen to de col' steel ring."

Oh, de captain said to John Henry,
"I b'lieve this mountain's sinkin' in,
John Henry said to his captain, oh my!
"Ain' nothin' but my hammer suckin' win',
Lawd, Lawd, ain' nothln' but my hammer suckin' win."

John Henry tol' his shaker,
Shaker, you better pray,
For if I miss dis six-foot steel,
Tomorrow'll be yo' buryin' day,
Lawd, Lawd, tomorrow'll be yo' buryin' day."

John Henry tol' his captain,
"Looka yonder what l see ---
Yo' drill's done broke an' yo' hole's done choke,
An' you cain' drive steel like me,
Lawd, Lawd, an' you cain' drive steel like me."

De man dat invented de steam drill,
Thought he was mighty fine.
John Henry drove his fifteen feet,
An' de steam drill only made nine,
Lawd, Lawd, an' de steam drill only made nine.

De hammer dat John Henry swung',
It weighed over nine pound ;
He broke a rib in his lef'-han' side,
An' his intrels fell on de groun',
Lawd, Lawd, an' his intrels fell on de groun'.

John Henry was hammerin' on de mountain,
An' his hammer was strikin' fire,
He drove so hard till he broke his pore heart,
An' he lied down his hammer an' he died,
Lawd, Lawd, he lied down his hammer an' he died.

All de womens in de wes',
When dey heared of John Henry's death,
Stood in de rain, flagged de eas'-boun' train,
Goin' where John Henry fell dead,
Lawd, Lawd, goin' where John Henry fell dead.

John Henry's lil mother,
She was all dressed in red,
She jumped in bed, covered up her head,
Said she didn' know her son was dead,
Lawd, Lawd, didn' know her son was dead.

John Henry had a pretty lil woman,
An' de dress she wo' was blue,
An' de las' wards she said to him:
"John Henry, I've been true to you,
Lawd, Lawd, John Henry I've been true to you."

"Oh, who's gonna shoe yo' lil feetses,
An' who's gonna glub yo' han's,
An' who'g gonna kiss yo' rosy, rosy lips,
An' who's gonna be yo' man,
Lawd, Lawd, an' who's gonna be yo' man?"

Dey took John Henry to de graveyard,
An' dey buried him in de san',
An' every locomotive come roarin' by,
Says, "Dere lays a steel-drivin' man,
Lawd, Lawd, dere lays a steel-drivin' man."

Yonder comes Miss Rosie. How in the world do 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'm callin' that Captain, "Turn a-loose my man."

Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me.
Oh 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 nothing in my pan.
And if you say a thing about it, you have a trouble with the man.

Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me.
Oh let the Midnight Special shine her ever-lovin' light on me.

If you ever go to Houston, boy, 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.
Oh 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 this 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, whooping, hollering, and crying.
And I began to worry about my very long time.

Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me.
Oh let the Midnight Special shine her ever-lovin' light on me.

I had a little woman workin' on that National Defense
I had a little woman workin' on that National Defense
That woman got to the place, where act like she did not have no sense
Just because she was workin', makin' so much dough
Just because she was workin', makin' so much dough
That woman got to the place, did not love me no more

Every payday would come, her check was big as mine
Every payday would come, her check was big as mine
That woman thought that Defense was gonna last all the time

That Defense is gone, just listen to my song
That Defense, it is gone, just listen to my song
Since that Defense been gone, that woman done lose her home

SPOKEN:
Yes, she is ... yeah ... . well all right, then

I will tell you the truth and it's got to be the fact
I will tell you the truth and it's got to be a fact
Since that Defense has gone, that woman losed her Cadillac

Come here, let me tell you something that you ought (to) know]

Omecay erehay, etlay emay elltay ouyay omethingsay atthay ouyay
oughtway (otay) owknay

[Chorus]
Oh that Rock Island Line is a mighty good road,
Oh that Rock Island Line is that road to ride,
Oh that Rock Island Line is a mighty good road,

If you want to ride, you got to ride it like you find it,
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line.
Jesus died to save our sins--hooray to God,
We're going to meet him again!

[Chorus]

I may be right and I may be wrong,
You are going to miss me when I'm gone!

[Chorus]

A, B, C, W, X, Y and Z
Cats in the cupboard, but they don't see me!

[Chorus]

[Chorus]
Oh that Rock Island Line is a mighty good road,
Oh that Rock Island Line is that road to ride,
Oh that Rock Island Line is a mighty good road,

If you want to ride, you got to ride it like you find it,
Get your ticket at the station on the Rock Island Line.
Jesus died to save our sins--hooray to God,
We're going to meet him again!

[Chorus]

I may be right and I may be wrong,
You are going to miss me when I'm gone!

[Chorus]

A, B, C, W, X, Y and Z
Cats in the cupboard, but they don't see me!

[Chorus]

Well-a Shorty George, he ain't no friend of mine
He's taken all the women and left the men behind
Well-a Shorty George, he done been here and gone
Yes, Shorty George, he done been here and gone
Lord he left many a poor man a great long way from home
Well my baby caught the Katy, I caught the Santa Fee
Well she caught the Katy, I caught the Santa Fee
Well, you can't quit me, baby, can't you see
Well I went to Galveston, work on the Mallory Line
Went to Galveston, Lord on the Mallory Line
Babe you can't quit me, ain't no use tryin'
Shorty George, travelin' through the land
Shorty George, he's travelin' through the land
Always looking to pick some woman's poor man
When I get back to Dallas, I'm gonna walk and tell
When I get back to Dallas, gonna walk and tell
That the Fort Bend Bottom is a burning hell