Mississippi Fred McDowell 1995

   

All The Way From East St. Louis

I walked all the way from East St. Louis to town
Lord, I walked all the way, darling, from East St. Louis to town
You know I did not have but that one poor lousy dime

Well, dark cloud a risin', baby, I wonder what's gonna' come of me
Lord, a dark cloud a risin', baby, I wonder what's gonna' come of me
Lord, I wonder what's gonna come of me

Well, the next time I start a... boy, I gonna' have my baby by my side
Well, the next time I start a... boy, I gonna' have my baby lay by my side
Lord, if I make it to St. Louis, baby, we gon' stop on the other side

 

Good Morning Little Schoolgirl

Good mornin', little schoolgirl
Good mornin', little schoolgirl
Can I go?
Can I go home wit' you?
Tell yo' mama an yo' papa
Lord, I'm a li'l schoolboy, too

Come on, be my baby
Come on, be my baby
I'll buy you a diamond
I'll buy you a diamond ring
If you don't like that, baby
I ain't gon' buy ya a doggone thing

I don't know, hardly

I don't know, hardly
What in this world
What in this world to do
I don't mean to hurt yo' feelings
Or even get mad with you

I 'member way back, babe
I 'member way back, babe
When I was young age
When I was young, age-a nine
Lord, I thinkin' about my schoolday
It sho' did worry on my mind.

 

Frisco Line

Lord, I seen my baby
Way out on that Frisco line
Lord, you know I seen my baby
Way out on that Frisco line

Lord, I wonder darlin'
She say, 'I don't know where I'm goin'

Lord, what you gon' do
When your trouble get like mine?
Lord, I wonder what you gon' do, Lord
When your trouble get like mine?

Lord, I pick an shovel
Oh, baby dig down in the mines

Lord, I started walkin', darlin'
Lord, down that lonesome Frisco line
You know, I started t'walkin'
Down that lonesome Frisco line

I was feelin' so bad
Sometime, I was half outta my mind

Ooh, that's alright
Oh, that's alright
Lord, baby that's alright
For you

Oh, that's alright, darlin'
Oh, baby that's alright for you

Shake 'em On Down

Put 'em down, put 'em down
Put 'em down, good Lordy
Put 'em down, good Lordy
Put 'em down, shake 'em down

Good Lordy, shake 'em down
Good Lordy, shake 'em down
Good Lordy, shake 'em down
Good Lordy, shake 'em down

If you, come to my house
You's gon' find
Me around, good Lordy
Stop right there, baby go in
Shake 'em on down
Lordy, must I Lo-ord

Shake 'em down, to my house
Good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

If you see my baby, Lordy
Stand around
You know we gettin' ready, mama
We gonna shake 'em on down
Lordy, must I Lo-ho-hord

Shake 'em down, to my house
Good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Put yo' knees together

Babe, let yo' backbone move
Can't-a woman in town
Cain't shake 'em down like you, Lordy
Must I, Lo-ord

Shake 'em down, to my house
Good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Whoa, Lo-o-ord

Shake 'em down, to my house
Good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, to my house

Whoa, Lo-o-ord

Shake 'em down, to my house
Good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, good Lordy
To my house, good Lordy
Shake 'em down, to my house

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Far away up over the hill, baby
Lord, to get some ice
Befo' we got back, baby
Lord, we shook 'em down twice
Lordy, must I, Lord

Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house
Shake 'em down, to my house

Write Me a Few Lines

Lord, when you get home, baby
Please write me a few of yo' lines
Lord, when you get home, baby
Sit down and write me a few of yo' lines

Lord, that-a be consolation
Oh Lord, mama to my worryin' mind
Lord, I left my baby
Standin' in her back door, cryin'

Lord, I left my baby
Standin', Lord, in her back door, cryin'
Lord, I never felt so sorry, Lo'd
Honey, till she said goodbye

Lord, I'm goin' down to the river
I'm 'on sit down on the ground
You know I'm goin' down to the river, baby
I'm 'on sit down on the ground
I'm 'onna let the waves of water
Lord, be to wash my trouble down

 

Going Down the River

I'm goin' down that river
I'm goin-a take that right hand road
I'm goin' down the river
I'm goin-a take that right hand road
Lord, I ain't gon' stop walkin'
Till I get in sweet mama's arms

Lord, the girl I'm lovin'
She got that great long curly hair
Lord, the girl I'm lovin'
Got the great long curly hair
Lord, her mama an her papa, Lord
Sure don't allow me there

Lord, allow me
Sure don't allow me
Sure don't allow me
Sure don't allow me
Sure don't allow
Allow me there
Lord, Lord
Sho' don't allow
'Llow me there

Sun rose this mornin', baby
Lord, I was layin' down on my flo'
Lord, the sun rose this mornin'
I was layin' down on my flo'
Lord, no woman to love me
Baby, even no place to go

Lord, nobody
Love me, baby
Lord, no place
Place to go
Lord
Even no, place to go
Lordy, Lordy, Lord, Lord

Lord, I'm goin' away, baby
Don't you wanna go?
I'm goin' away, baby
Mama, don't you wanna go?
Lord, I'm goin' somewhere
I ain't never been before

Oh, Lord, I
Lord, I'm goin'
Goin' somewhere
I ain't never
Been befo'
Lord, Lord

Red Cross Store Blues

Well I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.
Well I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.

Lord I went to the merchant, asked him for some meal,
Lord, you go away from here now boy, you got boll weevils in your brain.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.

No sugar for my coffee, no flour for my bread,
Red Cross store wen't help me fix my ailing head.
I was on the floor a bleendin' I almost cought my death,
No Red Cross store gonna save my life when I'm down to my last breath.
Well I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.

Don't talk to me 'bout no war, if you can't tell me what I'm fighting for.
I would go all the way to hell, before I give my Soul to that Red Cross store.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.

I told you once, I told you twice, a thousand times before,
If I could get a job, I wouldn't go to that store no more.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.
Lord I ain't goin' back to that Red Cross store no more.

John Henry

John Henry was a steel-drivin'
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man
John Henry died, a hammer in his
John Henry died, a hammer in his
John Henry was a steel-drivin' man

John Henry, he said, just before he died
What are the two more roads that he want to ride
Lord, John Henry
Lord, John Henry said before he died
Lordy, two more roads he want to ride
Lord, he want
Oh Lord, he want

Lord, I got up one mornin', well, it looked like rain
Look around the curve, come a passenger train
Lord, John
Lord, John Henry said 'fore he died
Lordy, two more roads he want to ride

John Henry had a wife, dress she wore was red
Last word I heard her say, "I'm goin' where Johnny fell dead.
Lord, I'm
Lord, I'm gwine
Lord, I'm
Lord, I'm goin', John Henry fell
Lord, I'm goin' John Henry
Lord, I'm goin' where John Henry"

Kokomo Blues

Well, it's Kokomo me, baby
Kokomo, me right
Kokomo, you daddy
I be back tomorrow night

Cryin', I
Baby, don't you wanna go?
Down that little, nice, city
Sweet 'ol Kokomo

Well, it's Kokomo me, babe
Kokomo me twice
Kokomo, yo daddy
Like you did the other night

Cyrin', I
Baby, don't you wanna go?
Down that little, nice, city
Sweet 'ol Kokomo

Well, I ain't never loved, babe
Hope I never will
This-a-way you got lovin' goin' around
Get somebody killed

Cryin', I
Baby, don't you wanna go?
Down that little, nice, city
Sweet 'ol Kokomo

'Wanna push it back?'

Milk Cow Blues

Now asks sweet mama
Lemme be her kid
She says, 'I might get boogied
Like to keep it hid'

Well, she looked at me
She be-gin to smile
Says, 'I thought I would use you
For my man a while

'Tha-at you just don't my husband
Catch you there
Now, just-just don't let my
Husband catch you there'

Now, went upstair
To pack my leavin' trunk
I never saw no whiskey
The blues done made me, sloppy drunk

Say, I never saw no whiskey
Blues done made me sloppy drunk
Now, I never saw no whiskey
But the blues done made me sloppy drunk

Now some said, disease
Some said it was, degree'in
But it's the slow consumption
Killin' you by degrees
Lord, it's the slow consumption
Killin' you by degrees
Now, it's-a slow consumption
An it's killin' you by degrees.

I've Been Drinking Water Out Of Hollow Log

I've been drinking muddy water, sleep'n a hollow log
I been drinking muddy water, sleep'n a hollow log
Lord if I can be your kid man, I ain't gonna be your dog

Yes I'm going away baby, baby don't you wanna go
Yes I'm going away baby, baby don't you wanna go
Lord, I is going somewheres I ain't never been before

I've been drinking muddy water, sleep'n a hollow log
I been drinking muddy water, sleep' n a hollow log
Lord if I can be your kid man, I ain't gonna be your dog

Lord, there ain't but that one thing I said honey that will ease my mind
Well it ain't but that one thing honey that will ease my mind
Lord that girl will tease me, tease me round no more

61 Highway

Lord, that 61 Highway
It the longest road I know
Lord, that 61 Highway
It the longest road I know
She run from New York City
Run right by my baby's do'

Well, there some folks said them
Greyhound buses don't run
Lordy, some folks said them
Greyhound buses don't run
Lord, just go to West Memphis, baby
Look down Highway 61

I said, please
I said, please see somebody for me

I said ple-eee-eee-ase
Please see somebody for me
If you see my baby
Tell her she's alright with me

Lord, if I should hap'n a-die, baby
Before you think my time have come
Lord, if I should hap'n a-die, baby
'Fore you think my time have come
I want you bury my body
Down on Highway 61