Listening to the Blues

“Da Cemetery Blues” By Billy Jones “Cross-Eyed Annie” By Big George Jackson Blues Band “Mean Old Daddy” By Byther Smith “Biscuits ‘n Molasses” By Big George Jackson Blues Band “I Don’t Like to Travel” By Byther Smith “Crown Royal” By Boo Boo Davis “Don’t Believe Everything You Read” By Doug Macleod

“Da Cemetery Blues” By Billy Jones

Now I was standin’ in the cemetery When all the family gathered ‘round Now I was standin’ in the cemetery As all the family gathered ‘round I never knew how much I loved the girl Until they laid her body down You know the storm cloud come rolling And the wind began to blow You know the storm cloud come rolling And the wind began to blow I cried, “Baby please don’t leave me, Baby, please don’t go.” Well, you know I’ve been so lonely, people Since my baby said goodbye. Well, you know I’ve been so lonely Since my baby said goodbye Why’d my baby have to leave me? Why’d my baby have to die?

“Cross-Eyed Annie”
By Big George Jackson Blues Band


Yeah, Cross-Eyed Annie
Was a friend of mine
Yeah, Cross-Eyed Annie
Was a friend of mine
We used to get together
And have a whale of a time

That Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure could drink
Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure could drink
She used to pour down liquor
Like her throat was a sink

Yeah, Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure loved to flirt
Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure loved to flirt
She used to run around town
Getting her feelings hurt

Yeah, Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure loved to dance
Yeah, Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure loved to dance
She used to get stone drunk
And man you should seen her friends

That Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure could fight
Cross-Eyed Annie
The woman sure could fight
She hit a man so hard
She knocked him clean out of sight

Yeah, Cross-Eyed Annie
Was a friend of mine
Cross-Eyed Annie
Was a friend of mine

We used to get together
And have a whale of a time.
Oh, I’m sure gonna miss ya, Annie.


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“Mean Old Daddy” By Byther Smith

Momma, Momma, Momma Please talk to daddy for me Yeah, yeah, yeah My daddy’s mean and cruel You know he sold my guitar Mom, I’m sho’ gonna play at school Momma. Momma, Momma I talked to daddy myself Yeah, yeah, yeah I talked to daddy myself And if he sell my guitar Mom, I’m sho’ gonna leave on Oh, Mom, Mom, Momma My daddy’s mean and cruel Yeah, yeah, yeah My daddy’s mean to me You know he sold my guitar Because I love rock and roll Momma, Momma, Momma My daddy’s mean to me Yeah, yeah, yeah My daddy’s mean and cruel You know he sold my guitar Because I love rock and roll Oh, come on boys Boys, come and go with me Yeah, yeah, yeah Boys come and go with me I’m goin’ to New York City I’m gonna play on Broadway Return to top

“Biscuits ‘n Molasses” By Big George Jackson Blues Band

I woke up in the morning Time to go to school Oh Lord, woke up in the morning ‘Bout to go to school Well, I was so tired I didn’t know what to do I said, “Momma, momma What am I gonna do? Oh Lord, momma, momma What am I gonna do?” She said, “Biscuits and molasses, boy, Biscuits and molasses will do.” Well, I was going off for baseball practice Tired as I can be. Well, going off for baseball Tired as I could be. Just a young little boy With no energy I said, “Momma, momma, What am I gonna do? Oh Lord, momma, momma, What am I gonna do?” She said, “Biscuits and molasses, Biscuits and molasses will do.” Well there’s a bully in the neighborhood Tryin’ to beat me up And I don’t know why, ‘cause I didn’t bother that boy Bully in the neighborhood, Always trying to beat me up. Well, I didn’t have enough strength to make that bully stop I said, “Momma, momma, What am I gonna do? Oh Lord, momma, momma, What am I gonna do?” She said, “Biscuits and molasses, Biscuits and molasses will do.” Well, I met a little girl Her name was Susie Mae Met a little girl Her name was Susie Mae Well, she had me so nervous, That I didn’t know what to say. I said, “Momma, momma, What am I gonna do? Oh Lord, momma, momma, What am I gonna do?” She said, “Biscuits and molasses, boy, Biscuits and molasses will do.” Return to top

“I Don’t Like to Travel” By Byther Smith

Well, I don’t like to travel Oh, deep blue driving me from home Oh, I don’t like to travel Oh, deep blue, gonna leave home Well, you know, you know, wear what I have on Oh, I don’t have train fare Someone please help me Oh, right now I can’t help myself Oh, someone please help me Oh, right now I can’t help myself. Oh, you know, you know, I can’t go I don’t have my train fare there [solo] Well, I wanna go home But I don’t have change of clothes Oh, I wanna go home, people Oh, I don’t have change of clothes Well, you know, I like what I have on I don’t have my train fare there Someone please help me Oh, right now I can’t help myself Oh, someone please help me Oh, right now I can’t help myself Well, you know, I’ll wear what I have on I don’t have my train fare. Return to top

“Crown Royal” By Boo Boo Davis

Friends of mine walked through the door He had a little taste, ya’ll. Oh, they sat down and drank so long Talkin’ ‘bout that Crown Royal bottle I said, “Ya’ll, That stuff ain’t good for ya’ll.” Oh, they sat down at the bar Had a little taste of Crown Royal Oh, they didn’t know how to act Oh, they wanted to fight all night I just told ‘em, “Stuff ain’t good for ya’ll.” Talk about Crown Royal You better leave it alone Talk about Crown Royal You better leave it alone I drank the old, some time Double Crown Cold It ain’t good for ya’ll Better leave it alone Oh, it ain’t good for you You better leave it alone Talkin’ ‘bout Crown Royal, The stuff ain’t good for ya’ll. I walked in the door one day Sat down and had a little taste Oh, they wanted to start a fight You better leave it alone Talk about Crown Royal, The stuff ain’t good for ya’ll It ain’t good for you, Talkin’ bout the Crown Royal bottle It ain’t good for ya’ll, Talkin’ bout the Crown Royal bottle Talkin’ ‘bout the Crown Royal That stuff ain’t good for ya’ll [solos] Some friends walked through the door Sat down and had a little taste Oh, they wanted to start a fight Smoky had to put ‘em out the joint Talkin’ ‘bout Crown Royal You better leave it alone Crown Royal, you better leave it alone Talkin’ ‘bout Crown Royal, You better leave it alone Talk about Crown Royal, Stuff ain’t good for ya’ll Oh….Crown Royal. Return to top

“Don’t Believe Everything You Read” By Doug Macleod

Said, hey, take your time When you’re pickin’ up your paper Don’t believe everything you read You know some people think that it’s down in black and white It’s the written word, so it got to be right, I heard Somebody said it’s down in black and white It’s the written word, so Lord it must be right They write a story, don’t have to tell you the truth If they fool on themselves, man, they sure fool on you You know it, they write a story Don’t have to tell you the truth And if they’re foolin’ on themselves, What makes you think they don’t fool on you? Write about a man Lord they say most anything I’ve seen ‘em make a king a fool I’ve seen ‘em make a fool a king You know, the write about a man But, Lord, they can say most anything I’ve seen ‘em make a king a fool Sure as they make a fool a king I say, take your time again I say, now, take your time in the end When you’re pickin’ up your paper, baby, don’t believe everything you read When you’re pickin’ up your paper, now, don’t believe everything you read When you’re pickin’ up your paper, don’t believe everything you read Return to top