LYRICS
Big Bill Broonzy
Back water blues
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
It rained five days, Lord and the clouds turned as dark as night
It rained five days, and the clouds turned as dark as night
Lord, that was really enough trouble to make a poor man, wonder where in the world to go
I got up one mornin', poor me I couldn't get even get out of my door
I got up one mornin', poor me I couldn't get even get out of my door
Lord, that was really enough trouble to make a poor man, wonder where in the world to go
Now they rowed a little boat, just about five miles across the farm
Yeah, they rowed a little boat, down about five miles across the farm
Lord, I packed up all of my clothes and throwed them in,
and I declare they rowed poor old Bill along
Then I went and I stood up on a high, high old lonesome hill
Yes, I went and I stood up on a high, high old lonesome hill
Lord, and all I could do was look down on the house, baby where I used to live
Now it thundered and it lightnin'd, Lord and the wind, wind began to blow
Now it thundered and it lightnin'd, Lord and the wind, wind began to blow
Lord, there was thousands and thousands of poor people,
at that time didn't have no place to go
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Big Bill blues
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
I got up this mornin', feelin' sad and blue
I lost my baby now tell me, what I'm goin' to do
You know I'm so lonesome,
way these blues keep doggin' me
Yeah baby but that's all right,
I will be up someday
When my baby left me, she left me broken down
She said "Goodbye Big Bill, I will see you in another town"
Now you know I'm lonesome,
way these blues keep doggin' me
I says that's all right,
Big Bill will be up someday
Now I've got to walk by myself, and sleep by myself,
on account the one I'm lovin',
she keep on lovin' someone else
You know I'm lonesome,
way these blues keep doggin' me
Yeah, but that's all right,
baby I will be up someday
If I'd had listened at what my mother said,
and did what she said,
I'd been home now, sleepin' in a great big bed
'Cause I'm lonesome,
way these blues keep doggin' me
Yeah but that's all right,
baby I will be up someday
The men was put on earth to rule, but women are ruling too
Sometimes I wonder what a poor man gonna do
'Cause I'm lonesome,
way these blues keep doggin' me
Yeah but that's all right,
way these blues is doggin' me
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Black, brown and white
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
This little song that I'm singin' about,
people you know it's true
If you're black and gotta work for a living,
this is what they will say to you,
they says, "If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, stick around,
but as you's black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back"
I was in a place one night
They was all having fun
They was all buyin' beer and wine,
but they would not sell me none
They said, "If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, stick around,
but if you black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back"
Me and a man was workin' side by side
This is what it meant
They was paying him a dollar an hour,
and they was paying me fifty cent
They said, "If you was white, 't should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but as you black, hmm boy, get back, get back, get back"
I went to an employment office,
got a number 'n' I got in line
They called everybody's number,
but they never did call mine
They said, "If you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but as you black, hmm brother, get back, get back, get back"
I hope when sweet victory,
with my plough and hoe
Now I want you to tell me brother,
what you gonna do about the old Jim Crow?
Now if you was white, should be all right,
if you was brown, could stick around,
but if you black, whoa brother, get back, get back, get back
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Diggin' my potatoes
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
Baby, they diggin' my potatoes,
Lord, they trampin' on my vine
Now I've got a special plan now baby,
Lord, that a-restin' on my mind
Now, I don't want no cabbage sprouts,
bring me a solid head
Suppose they call the wagon . . . ,
I catched him in my bed
You know they diggin' my potatoes,
Lord, they trampin' on my vine
Now my vines is all green,
'tattoos they all red
Never found a bruised one,
till I caught them in my bed
You know they diggin' my potatoes,
Lord, they trampin' on my vine
Now, I've been all around,
lookin' up and down
Never found my baby,
'cause she was layin' in another town
I know she's diggin' my potatoes,
Lord, she's trampin' on my vine
Yes, now I got a special plan now baby,
Lord, that a-restin' on my mind
Yes, I've got a special plan now baby,
Lord, that a-restin' on my mind
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Goin' down the road feelin' bad
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
Goin' down this road now feelin' bad, baby
I'm goin' down this road feelin' so low and bad
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
I'm tired o'eatin' your corn bread and beans, baby
I'm tired o'eatin' your corn bread and beans, right now
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
These two dollar shoes is killin' my feet, baby
Two dollar shoes is killin' my feet, right now
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
Take ten dollar shoe to fit my feet, baby
Ten dollar shoe to fit my feet, right now
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
I'm goin' down this road feelin' bad, baby
I'm goin' down this road feelin' so miserable and bad
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
I'm goin' where the chilly wind don't blow, baby
I'm goin' where the chilly wind don't blow, no more
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
I'm goin' where the weather suites my clothes, baby
I'm goin' where the weather suites my clothes, tomorrow
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
I'm goin' down this road now feelin' bad, baby
I'm goin' down this road feelin' so low and bad
I ain't gonna be treated this-a way
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Hey hey
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey,
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey,
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey,
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey,
I love you baby, but I sure ain't gonna be your dog
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey,
Hey hey, hey hey, baby hey,
With my arms all around you, baby,
you know, that's all I can say is hey
Hey hey, lost your good thing now,
Hey hey, you lost your good thing now
You had me fooled, but I found it out somehow
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John Henry
When John Henry was a little baby boy, sitting on his papa's knee
Well, he picked up his hammer and a little piece of steel, said
"Hammers gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord" (repeat 4 times)
The
captain
said to John Henry, "I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on the job
I'm gonna whip that steel on down, Lord, Lord" (repeat 4 times)
John Henry told his captain, "Lord, a man ain't nothing but a man
But before I'd let your steam drill beat me down,
I'd die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord" (repeat 4 times)
John Henry said to his shaker, "Shaker, why don't you sing?
Because I'm swinging thirty pounds from my hips on down,
just to listen to that cold steel ring, Lord, Lord" (repeat 4 times)
Now the captain said to John Henry, "I believe that mountain's caving in"
John Henry said right back to the captain,
"Ain't nothing but my hammer sucking wind, Lord, Lord" (repeat 4 times)
Now the man that invented the steam drill, he thought he was mighty fine
But John Henry drove fifteen feet,
the steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord (repeat 4 times)
John Henry hammered in the mountains, his hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard, it broke his poor, poor heart,
and he laid down his hammer and he died, Lord, Lord (repeat 4 times)
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Just a dream
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
It was a dream, Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
It was a dream, Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
Now, and when I woke up, baby, not a thing there could I find
I dreamed I went out with an angel, and had a good time
I dreamed I was satisfied, and nothin' to worry my mind
But that was just a dream, Lord, what a dream I had on my mind,
Now, and when I woke up, baby, not an angel could I find
I dreamed I caught the horses, and caught the number too
I dreamed I won so much money, I didn't know what to do
But that was just a dream, Lord, what a dream I had on my mind,
Now, and when I woke up, baby, not a penny there could I find
Dreamed I was in the White House, sittin' in the president's chair
I dreamed he's shaking my hand, and he said "Bill, I'm so glad you're here"
But that was just a dream, Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
Now, and when I woke up, baby, not a chair there could I find
I dreamed I got married, and started me a family
I dreamed I had ten children, and they all looked just like me
But that was just a dream, Lord, what a dream I had on my mind
Now, and when I woke up, baby, not a child there looked like mine
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Key to the highway
written by: Big Bill Broonzy / Charles Segar
I got the key to the highway, and I'm billed out and bound to go
I'm gonna leave here runnin', 'cause walkin' is most too slow
I'm goin' down on the border, now where I'm better known
'Cause woman you don't do nothin', but drive a good man 'way from home
Now when the moon creeps over the mountain, I'll be on my way
Now I'm gonna walk this old highway, until the break of day
Come here, sweet mama, now and help me with this heavy load
I am due in West Texas, and I've got to get on the road
I'm goin' to West Texas, I'm goin' down behind the farm
I'm gonna ask the good Lord what evil have I done
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Louise, Louise blues
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
Louise, you the sweetest gal I know
Louise, you the sweetest gal I know
Yeah, you made me walk, walk from Chicago, baby,
down to the Gulf of Mexico
Now, look-a here, Louise,
what you tryin' to do?
You tryin' to give 'way my lovin',
say you love me too
Whoa Louise, baby that will never do
Yeah, you know, you know you can't love Big Bill, baby,
not and love some other man too
Louise, I believe,
somebody been fishin' in my pond
They been catchin' all my perches,
grinding up the bone
Whoa Louise, baby that will never do
Yeah, you know, you know, Louise,
I ain't had no lovin' since you been gone
Louise, you know you got ways,
like a rattlesnake and a squirrel
Every time you start the lovin',
I declare, it's out of this world
Whoa Louise, baby why don't bring your clothes back home?
Yeah, you know, you know, Louise,
I ain't had no lovin' since you been gone
Louise, the big boat's up the river,
she's on a bank of sand
Now if she don't strike deep water,
I declare she'll never land
Whoa Louise, baby why don't you hurry home?
Yeah, you know, you know Louise,
I ain't had no lovin' since you been gone
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Southbound train
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
I wonder why that southbound train don't run
I wonder why that southbound train don't run
Now you don't need no tellin', little girl, you know what you done
You made me love you, now your man done come
You made me love you, now your man done come
Now you leave me here worryin' baby, and I'm just the lonely one
Standin' at a station, now, waitin' for a train
Standin' at a station, I'm waitin' on a train
Now, deep down in my poor heart, baby, that a lot, an achin' pain
Mr. conductor man, please let me ride your train
Mr. conductor man, please let me ride your train
Now if I make it to that lowland, man, I'll be a happy man
Standin' at a station, tears was in my eye
Standin' at a station, tears was in my eye
Now that I've lost my best friend, how can I be satisfied?
I hear a whistle, wonderin' where is that train
I hear a whistle, wonderin' where is that train
Now that I've lost my baby, I've got all red brain
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Sun gonna shine in my door
written by: Big Bill Broonzy
Just sittin' here hungry, ain't got a dime
looks like my friends would come to see me some time
But it won't matter how it happens,
the sun gonna shine in my door some day
When I was in jail, expectin' a fine,
when I went before that judge, not a friend I could find
But it won't matter how it happens,
the sun gonna shine in my door some day
I lost my father, I lost my brother,
that's why you hear me singin', I'm lonesome and blue
But it won't matter how it happens,
the sun gonna shine in my door someday
Lordy, lordy, lordy, lord, I used to be your reg'lar,
now I got to be your dog
But it won't matter how it happens,
the sun gonna shine in my door some day
I'm in trouble, no one to pay my fine,
when I get out this time, gonna leave this town flyin'
But it won't matter how it happens,
the sun gonna shine in my door some day
I was with my buddy through thick and thin,
my buddy got away, and I got in
But it won't matter how it happens,
the sun gonna shine in my door some day
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