Lyric Sheets
All Songs written by William P Homans aka Watermelon Slim except where noted
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1) Hard Times 7) Frisco line 8) Ash Tray |
9) Mack Truck 10) Bad Sinner 12) Juke Joint Woman 13) Hard Labor 14) Eau de Boue |
1) Hard Times
I'm too poor to pay attention, I'm too hungry to eat, too sick to see my doctor, and I'm too tired to sleep,
Chorus
I couldn't catch a cold, I couldn't pitch a fit, I'm waist deep in alligators, sometimes I'm neck deep in bullshit,
Chorus: Hard times-- Lord, hard times have come at last
If you want to see me on my good side baby, you had better look fast
I'm too frustrated to see my psychiatrist, I'm too toothless to chew, too far down to ever get even, I'm too hard up to screw,
Chorus
I can't see to put my pants on, I can't hear myself sing, I can't always taste my whiskey, and I just can't feel much of anything,
Chorus
Repeat chorus as verse, al coda
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2) Dumpster Blues
(VI) I got an oversized dumpster, piled high from rail to rail (2x)
and if ol sergeant Courtwright saw me coming, he'd put me underneath the jail.
(V2) I got to run this load down the back road, don't want to meet no State Patrol,(2x)
Spots my tires down good, but when I snatch this box just watch me roll
(V3) I got 60,000 pounds on, yanks up my front end (2x)
But this old 20-ton winch boys, it's a dumpster operator's friend
(V4) This load is rotten, smells like the devil's bottom hole (2x)
I got to dump this at the landfill, to save my dispatcher's soul
(V5) I'm nasty 'n smelly 'n dirty, ain't been this bad since I don't know when (2x)
But when I drop this load off, I'm taking it back to the job site again
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3) Baby Please Don't Go
(Big Joe Williams)
(V1) Baby please don't go, oh baby please don't go, baby please don't go down to New Orleans, cause I love you so, baby please don't go
(V2) Another man done gone, 'nother man done gone, another man done gone down to Rolling Fork got his shackles on, baby please don't go
(V3) 'fore I'll be your dog, 'fore I'll be your dog, 'fore I'll be your dog, you got me way down here, make you walk this log, baby please don't go
(V4) Turn your lamp down low, turn your lamp down low, turn your lamp down low, baby it's all night long, making love to you, baby please don't go
(Repeat first verse)
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4) Devil's Cadillac
(co-writer: M. Newberry)
(V1) I was riding shotgun in the devil's Cadillac (2x)
We was headin for the crossroads, with a monkey on my back
(V2) We was doin 90, headin on down the road (2x)
We was headin for the crossroads just as hard as we coulds go
(Bridge) That Cadillac was so quiet, just like the inside of a hearse
The air conditioning was so cold, just like a tomb or maybe worse
We stopped, he said "we're here", I looked out at deserted farmers' fields
He didn't have to say a word, but I knew we'd made a deal
(repeat bridge)
(V3) He said that he'd be back, ten years to the day
Then he turned and disaappeared, he'd said all he had to say
Still I wonder if he'll keep his word, and what's the price I'm gonna pay
(repeat last line, then repeat half last line)
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5) Check Writing Woman
Chorus (as verse)
Check writin' woman, got my paper all over town (2x)
Been all over three counties tryin' to run this bad paper down
When the woman wants a steak, she forge a check at the market
She wants her a car, and a place to park it
She don't do no work, just reaches in my pocket
The sheriff says my checks are bouncin' like a rocket
Chorus ("four counties")
Now if the kid needs shoes, that's all right with me,
Come see me for the dough, easy as 1,2, 3,
But don't go behind my back, stealin' all my money,
Then askin' me for more, that's a no-go, honey,
Chorus ("half of Oklahoma")
Now a woman's got needs, and she wants 'em right now
And I sweat and I strain to give 'em to her somehow
But I won't work a lick, or use my two hands
If she takes me for a mark, boys, and that's just how it stands
Chorus ("Oklahoma and Arkansas")
Chorus vamp al coda ("all over this world")
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7) Frisco line
Fred Mcdowell
V1) Did you ever go down on that long loinesome Frisco line? (2x)
Did you ever see boys, that old gal of mine?
(V2) It was a mean old Frisco, a cruel old Santa Fe (2x)
Lord that mean ol' train (long black train) threw rocks and gravel in my face
(V3) What you gonna do, when your troubles get like mine? (2x)
Drink half a pint of whiskey, wash it down with turpentine
(V4) What you gonna do, when you ain't got nothin left to lose? (2x)
Gonna go on down to Oklahoma, Payne County, Pushmataha County, Lord, sing them country blues
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8) Ash Tray
She wouldn't back down, so I threw my hands up and I walked away
All take no give, so let's call it a day
I ain't no puppet, I ain't got no strings to pull
But she's there and I'm here-- and the ashtray's full
Now when the ball starts downhill, there's no telling how far it may roll
And when trust breaks, time and separation take their toll
And sometimes that load seems just too much to pull
But "why me?" 's beside the point-- and the ashtray's full
Bridge: Why me? Why anyone? Why must we part this way?
Too many more good reasons to go than to stay
And if what was once between us is lost, never to return
We both may lose-- but we still will learn
And the clock keeps on doing its job up on the wall
And I've got some peace and quiet now to make sense of it all
But if you think these blues ain't bad, you've never faced the bull
Because my coffee cup is empty-- and the ashtray's full (3x al coda)
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9) Mack Truck
Well I'm a Mack truck bumper baby, I'm long and I'm hard (2x)
You want to start a union with me, I got your membership card
If you wanna convoy with me, you better use that goin' home gear (2x)
I got my governor disabled, I might fly on out of here
If you got nine speeds forward, you better grab for number ten (2x)
Cause I'm hammer down and high-ballin', you might never see my face again
Yes, I'm a Mack truck bumper baby, I'm long and I'm hard (2x)
If you can't run with the big dogs, you better park it in the yard
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10) Bad Sinner
Well, I'm a bad, bad sinner, and I don't know if I'll ever get turned around (2x)
Sometimes I think I'd be better off lying six feet underground
Oooooohhhh, Lord have mercy, won't you please hear my anguished cry (2x)
Not my will but thine, Lord, but would you please let this cup of trouble pass me by
I have hope of salvation, but I hope there's something left to save (2x)
I don't know if I'm going up or down, won't know till I'm buried in my grave
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11) Folding Money Blues
(V1) Oooo-oh, George Washington said, hey boys in God we trust, (2x)
But Abe Lincoln said, hangin his head, hey boys the bank gone bust
(V2) Oooo-oh, Alexander Hamilton, said things sure look fine (2x)
But ol Mr. Jackson, sittin' on a stump says, boy look for the fire next time
(V3) Mmmm-mm, Ulysses S. Grant sais, hey Slim you can't come in here (2x)
But ol' Ben Franklin, out the side of his mouth, says come back this time next year
(V4) Hey, I'm workin at the landfill, for ol Henry Wells (2x)
But when I see my paycheck stub, got a long sad tale to tell
(V5) Mmmm-mm I wish ol payday, would stand a little farth' away from me (2x)
'Cause all I got, got to give it to my woman you see
(V6) Oooo-oh, I'm working, but buddy can you spare a dime? (2x)
I just want to talk to Mr. Roosevelt, while I'm rollin on down the line
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12) Juke Joint Woman
I got a juke joint woman, clubbin' every night (2x)
And any fool out of kindergarten can see she just don't treat me right
You know the landlord's all right, but the repo man's got my car (2x)
And the man comes on the screen and says, "it's ten o'clock-- do you know where your children are?"
I said, "yes, Mr. Voiceover-- I know right where my children are, (2x)
Right here on the couch next to me, but their momma's out at the whiskey bar."
Muddy Waters sang a song one time, said the woman was out makin' friends (2x)
But this woman's doin' it with MY money, and I don't draw no dividends
I said hey Mr. juke joint bartender, send my wife on home (2x)
I don't think he's gonna do it, 'cause he don't care where his money's comin' from
Chorus al coda
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13) Hard Labor
Chorus (as verse)
Hard labor-- will be the death of me (2x)
You got to work so hard to earn a dollar, but it sure will sap your energy
You know my back gets tired, and my shoulders get sore
I feel like a ticket that's expired, but I got to work just a little bit more
Chorus
Monday I move pianos, Tuesday I got a load of steel, Wednesdays and Thursdays, sleep sofas and chairs, by Friday you know just how I feel
Chorus
I come home in the evening, and I feel so tired, I tell my wife, "roll me over baby, on that other side,"
Chorus
Repeat Chorus as verse al coda
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14) Eau de Boue
Eau de Boue, et le Loup Hurlant
Ils me disent "chante, n'importe quand!"
Jean Le Crochet, B. B. Le Roi,
Ils ma enseigne mille fois!
Nous n'aurons qu'une vie breve,
Ca marche quelquefois comme une reve,
Je hurlerai pendant cela,
Quand je me tiens encore la force de voix
Bridge
Ecoutez-moi, le bon Dieu m'a donne,
Une fois, pas de plus, l'opportunite
La musique court comme la sueur
De ma peau, et s'est mise au fond du coeur
Quand je vives, c'est entendu,
Les blues me fera content sur la rue
Et dans le jour que je mourrai
Les blues sera comment vous vous me rappellerez
(Translation)
Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf have told me, "sing! No matter when!"
John Lee Hooker and BB King have taught me a thousand times.
We have only a short life that sometimes goes by like a dream.
I'm gonna howl until it does, as long as I've got a voice to do it!
Listen! The merciful God has given me one chance, no more.
The music rolls like sweat from my skin, and has buried itself in the depths of my heart.
As long as I live, it's understood, the blues will be my support down the road.
And when I'm dead and gone, the blues is why you're going to remember me.
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Copyright 2008 Watermelon Slim - Created by Wells Designs