Cocaine Blues

Traditional • T.J.Arnall

early one mornin' while makin' the rounds
I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down
went right home and I went to bed
I stuck that lovin' 44 beneath my head

got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun
took a shot of cocaine and away I run
made a good run but I ran too slow
they overtook me down in Juarez, Mexico

late in the hot joints takin' the pills
in walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill
he said «Willy Lee : your name is not Jack Brown
you're the dirty heck that shot your woman down"

said «Yes oh yes my name is Willy Lee
if you've got the warrant just a-read it to me
shot her down because she made me slow
I thought I was her daddy but she had five more»

when I was arrested I was dressed in black
they put me on a train and they took me back
had no friends for to go my bail
they slapped my dried up carcass in that county jail

got up next mornin' 'bout a half past nine
I spied the sheriff coming down the line
«ah» he coughed as he cleared his throat
he said «come on you dirty heck into that district court»

into the courtroom my trial began
where I was handled by twelve honest men
just before the jury started out
I saw the little judge commence to look about

in about five minutes in walked the man
holding the verdict in his right hand
the verdict read in the first degree
I hollered, «Lawdy Lawdy have a mercy on me»

the judge he smiled as he picked up his pen
99 years in the Folsom pen
99 years underneath that ground
I can't forget the day I shot that bad bitch down

come on you've gotta listen unto me
lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be


TRADITIONAL collected by Alan Lomax:


it was late last night I made my rounds
I met my woman and I blowed her down
I went on home and I went to bed
I laid my pistol up under my head

early next morning by the rising sun
I woke up and I started to run
I made a run but I ran too slow
a man overtook me down in Jericho

I was standing on the corner reading my daddy's will
along come a man they called him Bad Texas Bill
he said «Captain : is your name Lee Brown?
I believe that you're the rascal blowed your woman down»

I said «Yessir Captain : my name is Lee
and if you've got any blues boy just sing 'em to me»
«well I guess Lee that you know the best
you'd better come go with me : the judge'll tell you the rest."

when I was arrested I was dressed in black
they put me on a train and they brung me back
jury found me guilty in the first degree
and they laid me down in the penitentiary

yes the judge found me guilty and so the jury
cried «Lord in heaven have some mercy on me!»
I'll be here for the rest of my life
all I done was kill my wife