I have the blues before sunrise,
Tears standing in my eyes.
I have the blues before sunrise,
Tears standing in my eyes.
It was a miserable feeling, now babe,
A feeling I do despise.

I have to leave, leave you baby,
Because you know you done me wrong.
I have to leave you baby,
Because you know you done me wrong.
I'm gonna pack up and leave you darling
And break up my happy home.

I have to leave, leave you baby,
I'm gonna leave you all alone.
I'm gonna leave you baby,
I'm gonna leave you all alone.
I'm gonna pack up and leave you darling
Because you know you done me wrong.

Well now goodbye, goodbye baby,
I'll see you on some rainy day.
Well now goodbye baby,
I'll see you on some rainy day.
You can go ahead now little darling,
'Cause I want you to have your way.

Got me accused of peeping,
I can't see a thing.
Got me accused of petting,
I can't even raise my hand.

[Chorus:]
Bad luck,
Bad luck is killing me.
Well I just can't stand no more of this third degree.

Got me accused of murder,
I ain't harmed a man.
Got me accused of forgery,
I can't even write my name.

[Chorus]

Got me accused of taxes,
I ain't got a dime.
Got me accused of children
And ain't nary one of them was mine.

[Chorus]

So long,
Oh I hate to see you go.
So long,
Oh I hate to see you go.
And the way that I will miss you,
I guess you will never know.

We've been together so long
To have to separate this way.
We've been together so long
To have to separate this way.
I'm gonna let you go ahead on now baby,
Pray that you'll come back home someday.

You said you once had loved me,
But now I guess you've changed your mind.
You said you once had loved me,
But now I guess you've changed your mind.
Why don't you reconsider baby?
Give yourself just a little more time.

Gypsy woman told my mother 'fore I was born,
You got a boy-child coming, gonna be a son of a gun.
Gonna make pretty womens jump and shout,
And then the world gonna know what this all about.

[Chorus:]
But you know I'm here.
Everybody knows I'm here.
Well, I'm the hoochie coochie man.
Everybody knows I'm here.

I got the black cat bone and I got a mojo, too.
I got the John the Conquerer Root, gonna mess with you.
I'm gonna make you girls lead me by my hand,
And then the world will know the hoochie coochie man.

[Chorus]

On the seventh hour, on the seventh day,
On the seventh month, seven doctors say,
"He was born for good luck, that you'll see."
I got seven hundred dollars; don't you mess with me!

[Chorus]

Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out.

I got a job in a steel mill, shucking steel like a slave.
Five long years, every Friday I come straight back home with all my pay.
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve to put me out.

I finally learned my lesson, should a long time ago.
The next woman that I marry, she gonna work and bring me the dough.
Have you ever been mistreated? You know just what I'm talking about.
I worked five long years for one woman, she had the nerve,
She had the nerve,
She had the nerve,
She had the nerve to put me out.

I'm tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
I'm tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
Well, I feel like this when my baby can't be found.

I went to the river to jump in.
My baby showed up and said, "I will tell you when."

[Chorus:]
Well, I'm tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
Well, I feel like this when my baby can't be found.

I love you babe with all my heart and soul;
Love like mine will never grow old.
Love you in the morning and in the evening too.
Every time you leave me I get mad with you.

[Chorus]

I love you baby with all my might;
Love like mine is out of sight.
I'll lie for you if you want me to.
I really don't believe that your love is true.

[Chorus]

I'm tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
Well, I'm tore down, I'm almost level with the ground.
Well, I feel like this when my baby can't be found.

How long, baby how long,
Has that evening train been gone?

[Chorus:]
How long,
How how long,
Baby how long?

Went to the station, didn't see no train.
Down in my heart, I have an aching pain.

[Chorus]

I feel disgusted, I feel so bad
Thinking 'bout the good time that I once have had.

[Chorus]

I could see the green grass growing on the hill;
I ain't seen no greenback on a dollar bill.

[Chorus]

You're gonna be sorry, you'll feel so blue.
When you want me, baby, I declare I won't want you.

[Chorus]

Don't have no money for to ride the train.
I would ride the rods, baby, to be with you again.

[Chorus]

How long, baby how long
Must I keep my, my watch in pawn?

[Chorus]

Lord, I'm going away just to wear you off my mind.
Lord, I'm going away just to wear you off my mind.
Well you keep me worrying 'bout it all the time.

Well, I ain't been loved but four womens in my life.
Well, I ain't ever loved but four womens in my life.
Well, my mother and my sister, sweetheart and my wife.

If you don't want me baby, please don't call me 'round.
If you don't want me baby, please don't call me 'round.
Well, just like you found me, you can put me down.

Well now goodbye baby, if you call at home.
Well now goodbye baby, if you call at home.
You can go away; swear you won't stay long.

Blues, blues trying to drive me away from home.
Blues, blues trying to drive me away from home.
Had the blues so bad, blues followed me all day long.

Blues, blues won't let me take my rest.
Blues, blues won't let me take my rest.
My mind is rambling like a wild geese out in the west.

Well, you're my all day steady, baby you're my midnight dream.
Yes, you're my all day steady, baby you're my midnight dream.
I love that woman better than anyone I've ever seen.

Blues, blues follow me all day long.
Blues, blues follow me all day long.
Blues, blues won't you please leave me alone.

Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy on me.
Lord have mercy,
Lord have mercy on me.
Well if I've done somebody wrong, Lord,
Have mercy if you please.

I used to have plenty of money,
The finest clothes in town,
But bad luck and trouble overtaken me,
Bound to get me down.

Please have mercy,
Lord have mercy on me.
Well if I've done somebody wrong, Lord,
Have mercy if you please.

Keep on working now, child.
Lord every morning.

Well if I've been a bad boy, baby,
I declare I'll change my ways.
I don't want bad luck and trouble
To follow me all my days.

[Chorus]

If I mistreat you girl, I sure don't mean no harm.
If I mistreat you girl, I sure don't mean no harm.
Well, I'm a motherless child; I don't know right from wrong.

Please tell me pretty mama, honey where'd you stay last night?
Please tell me pretty mama, honey where'd you stay last night?
Well, you didn't come home till the sun was shining bright.

I had to go so far girl to get my ham bones boiled.
Had to go so far girl to get my ham bones boiled.
Well, he's had a lotta women, gonna let my ham bones burn.

Well, I did more for you, girl, than your daddy ever done.
Well, I did more for you, girl, than your daddy ever done.
Well, I give you my jelly, he ain't give you none.

And when you see two women, always running hand in hand.
When you see two women, always running hand in hand.
You can bet your bottom dollar, one got the other one's man.

Lord, I'm going to the river, get me a tangled rocking chair.
I'm going to the river, get me a tangled rocking chair.
And if the blues overtake me, gonna rock away from here.

You said you was hurting,
Almost lost your mind,
And the man you love,
He hurts you all the time.

[Chorus:]
When things go wrong,
Go wrong with you,
It hurts me, too.

You love him more
When you should love him less.
I pick up behind him
And take his mess.

[Chorus]

He love another woman
And I love you,
But you love him
And stick to him like glue.

[Chorus]

Now you better leave him;
He better put you down.
Oh, I won't stand
To see you pushed around.

[Chorus]

I've got to ride that lonesome train.
My heart is heavy with aches and pain.

[Chorus:]
I said but someday, someday baby,
After a while,
You will be sorry.

Every day, my clouds are grey;
It takes you to roll all those clouds away.

[Chorus]

Trouble, trouble, trouble on my mind.
Trouble, trouble, way down the line.
I don't need, I don't need no sympathy,
So babe, babe, don't you, don't you pity me.

I may be blue, but I don't mind,
Because I know way down the line,

[Chorus]

Oh baby, look how you got me standin' 'round crying.
Oh baby, look how you got me standin' 'round crying.
Lord I love you little girl, you're always resting on my mind.

Oh baby, I ain't gonna be riding you 'round in my automobile.
Oh baby, I ain't gonna be riding you 'round in my automobile.
You got so many men, I'm afraid you may get me killed.

Oh baby, you ain't nothing like you used to be. (No, don't get me killed, honey!)
Oh baby, you ain't nothing like you used to be. (Oh man, leave that woman alone!)
When I was deep in love with you, little girl, you were just sweet as an apple on a tree.

I'm drifting and drifting,
Just like a ship out on the sea.
I'm drifting and drifting,
Just like a ship out on the sea.
Well I ain't got nobody
In this world to care for me.

If my baby
Would only take me back again.
If my baby
Would only take me back again.
I would feel much better, darling,
And at least I'd have a friend.

I give you all my money,
Tell me what more can I do.
I give you all my money,
Tell me what more can I do.
You is a sweet little girl
But I swear you won't be true.

I'm drifting and drifting,
Just like a ship out on the sea.
I'm drifting and drifting,
Just like a ship out on the sea.
Because I ain't got nobody
In this world to care for me.

I'm so tired of moaning,
Trying to groan away my blues.
I'm so tired of moaning,
Trying to groan away my blues.
I keep weeping and crying
Every time I think of you.

I would rather die of starvation,
Perish out in the desert sun,
I would rather die of starvation,
Perish out in the desert sun,
Than to think of some other man
Holding you in his arms.

My heart gets so heavy
Lord I shakes down in my bones.
My heart gets so heavy,
Lord I shakes down in my bones.
I can't hurt a murderer,
Oh Lord, but I'm forced to weep and moan.