Skip James

Hard time here and everywhere you go
Times is harder than ever been before

And the people are driftin' from door to door
Can't find no heaven, I don't care where they go

Hear me tell you people, just before I go
These hard times will kill you just dry long so

Well, you hear me singin' my lonesome song
These hard times can last us so very long

If I ever get off this killin' floor
I'll never get down this low no more
No-no, no-no, I'll never get down this low no more

And you say you had money, you better be sure
'Cause these hard times will drive you from door to door

Sing this song and I ain't gonna sing no more
Sing this song and I ain't gonna sing no more
These hard times will drive you from door to door

I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man1
I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man
Aw, nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
Was nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind

I laid down last night, laid down last night
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest
My mind got to ramblin', like a wild geese
From the west, from the west

The woman I love, woman that I loved
Woman I loved, took her from my best friend
But he got lucky, stoled her back again
And he got lucky, stoled her back again
"... The devil was stronger than I was, an' he did have, and is got now, a certain amount of power... And he lives in hell, and that's where he haves his part. And God give him a certain amount of time to be on the earth, in the bowels, persuadin' people... He still have agencies out. Everywhere you've been. And then he's a man don't never sleep. he never get offa his job or duty, That is, you can lay down happy at night, you and your companion... and in harmony. Everything goin' well. Satan'll creep in the house overnight... next mornin' you cannot get a good word out of her. Why?. Because satan has got the bill of sale over her. He done crept in overnight

I love my cherry ball better than I love myself
I loves cherry ball better than I love myself
She get so she don't love me, she won't love nobody else

Cherry ball quit me, she quit me in a calm, good way
Cherry ball quit me, she quit me in a calm, good way
But what to take to get her, I carries it every day

I love my cherry, oh, better than I love myself
My cherry ball, better than I love myself
She get so she don't love me, love nobody else

Sure as that spider hangin' on the wall
Sure as that spider hangin' on the wall
I advised that old cherry ball, "Keep fallin' on call"

I'll catch the Southern if you take the Santa Fe
I'll take the Southern and if you'll take the Santa Fe
I'm gonna ride and ramble, tell cherry to come back to me

Crow Janie, Crow Janie, Crow Jane, don't you hold you head high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...
You got to die, you got to...

And I wanna buy me a pistol, wants me forty rounds of ball
Shoot Crow Jane, just to see her fall
She got to fall, she got to...
She got to fall, she got to...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head so high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...

And I dug her grave with s silver spade
Ain't nobody gonna take my Crow Jane place
You can't take her place no, you can't take her...

You know, I dug her grave eight feet in the ground
I didn't feel sorry until they let her down
They had to let her down, let her...they had to let her down...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head too high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...

You know, I let her down with a golden chain
And every link I would call my Crow Jane's name
Crow Jane, Crow... Crow Jane, Crow...

You know I never missed my water till my well went dry
Didn't miss Crow Jane until the day she died
Till the day she...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head too high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...you got to die, you got to...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head too high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...

I would rather be buried in some cypress grove
I would rather be buried in some cypress grove
To have some woman, Lord, that I can't control

And I'm goin' away now, I'm goin' away to stay
And I'm goin' away now, I'm goin' away to stay
That'll be all right, pretty mama, you gonna need my help someday

And the sun goin' down, and you know what your promise means
And the sun goin' down, you know what your promise means
And what's the matter, baby, I can't see

I would rather be dead and six feet in my grave
I would rather be dead and six feet in my grave
Than to be way up here, honey, treated this a-way

And the old people told me, baby, but I never did know
The old people told me, baby woman, but I never did know
"The good book declare you got to reap just what you sow"

When your knee bone's achin' and your body cold
When your knee bone's achin' and your body cold
Means you just gettin' ready, honey, for the cypress grove

Skip James Drunken Spree early version


I love my darlin' yes I do
I love her 'til the sea go dry
And if I thought she didn't love me
I'd take morphine and die

It was late last night when Willie come home
She made one rap on the door
"Is that you Willie? I'd like to know
Darlin' don't you rap no more"

The last good word I heard my mother say
Sonny come hold my hand/head
Oh me, oh my never let a dollar by

I pawned my watch an' I pawned my chain
I pawned my gold diamond ring
If that don't settle my drunken spree
Lord I'll never drink no more

You had me ??darn?? my ??? ???
An' all my dirty clothes
It was late last night when Willie come home
She made one rap on the door
"Is that you Willie? I'd like to know
Darlin' don't you rap no more"


I love my darlin' yes I do
I love her 'til the sea go dry
And if I thought she didn't love me
I'd take morphine and die

Special Rider Blues 5:09 Trk 5
Nehemiah Curtis 'Skip' James
Skip James - vocal, guitar and piano
Album: Blues From The Delta
From Vanguard 'Today!' album 1966
Vanguard Records CD 96517-2 1998


I ain't got no, special rider here
I ain't got no, no special rider here
I ain't got nobody
To love and feel my care

(guitar)

I woke up this mo'nin
Looked at spec-special risin' sun
I woke up this mo'nin
I looked at special risin' sun
Now, I pray up to the good Lord
That my special rider, she would come

(guitar)

I got up off-a my pallet


I laid down 'cross my bed
I got up off my pallet
An I laid down across my bed
When I went to eat my break'qast
An the blues was all in my bread

(guitar)

You know, I got a letter
How do you reck'in it read?
I got a letter
An how do you reck'in it read?
You better hur' up an come home
Because yo' special rider, she's dead

That's the reason I ain't
Got no special rider
Rider, here
That's the reason I ain't
Got no special rider, here
Now, I ain't got nobody
To love and feel my care.

(guitar to end)

~

Yes, I was a good man
But I'm's a po' man
You understand

In the hospital, now
In Washington D.C.
Ain't got nobody
To see about me

But I'm's a good man
But I'm's a po' man
You can understand

All the doctors
And nurses, too
They came and they asked me
'Who in the world are you?'

I says, I'm the good man
But I'm's a po' man
You can understand

The doctors and nurses
They shakin' their head
Said, 'Take this po' man
And put him to bed'

Because he's a good man
We know he's a po' man
We can understand

I didn't go hungry
I had a-plenty to eat
I had good treatment
And a place to sleep

Because I was a good man
They knew I was a po' man
They could understand

I met a little damsel
She promised me
That she would love me
And always be sweet

She found out I was a po' man
And I thought I was a good man
She couldn't understand, no

Now, when she left me
She got in the do'
She waved me, good-bye
I haven't seen her no mo'

She found out I was a good man
She knew I was a po' man
She couldn't understand

The doctors and nurses
They shakin' my hand
Say, 'You can go home now, Skip
You's a sound, well man'

Because you's a good man
You's a po' man
We can understand

I'd thankin' my doctor
And I was shakin' his hand
I'm gon' play these, 'Hospital Blues'
'Till you's a wealthy man'

You took me as a good man
You know'd I was a po' man
You could understand

You know'd I was a good man
But I'm's a po' man

You can understand!

Note: hyphen=word unsung

Oh, Mr. Crest, Mr. Crest
How in the world you
Expect for me to rest?
Oh, Mr. Crest, Mr. Crest
How in the world you
Expect for me to rest?
You've got my 22-20
Layin' up across my breast

Oh, if I send for my baby
An she act a fool
An she don't never come
If I send for my baby
She act a fool
An she don't never come
All the doctors in New York City
I declare, they can't help her none

You know, sometimes she gets unruly
An she act like she just don't wanna do
Sometimes she gets unruly
An she act like she just don't wanna -
But I get my 22-20
I cut that woman half in two

Oh, your.38 Special


Buddy, it's most too light
Your .38 Special
Buddy, it's most too light
But my 22-20
Will make ev'rything, alright

Ah-or, your .44-40
Buddy, it'll do very well
Your .44-40
Buddy, it'll do very well
But my .22-20
I declare you, it's a-burnin' hell

I was stranded on the highway-hi
With my 22-20 in my -
I was standin' on the highway
With my 22-20 in my -
They got me 'cussed for murder
I declare, I never have harmed a man

Lord, oh I measured my gun
An it's just a-long as my right arm
I measured my gun
An it's just a-long as my right -
I'm gon' raise me some sand
And back down the road, I declare.

~

Note: hyphen=word unsung

Oh love, ooh love
Oh, careless love

Yes, oh love, oh love
Oh, careless love

Oh love oh, oh love
Oh love, oh, careless -

How can't you see
What careless love, have done?

And it have caused me to weep
And to -
It done caused me to weep
And to moan
It done caused me to weep
An it caused me to moan
You know that love done caused
Me to leave my happy home

Oh love'll lie
Oh love, just

Oh love, oh

Oh, love'll die
Ooh, love
Oh love, oh careless -
Now you can see me
What a careless love have -

My mother, she told me
When I was a child

My mother, told me
When I was a child

My mother, she told me


She told me
When I was a child
'These old, battleaxe women
Son, gon' run you wild'

Then I said, 'That's the reason'
Oh careless love'
Oh, love

Oh love
Oh, careless love
Oh, love'll lie
Oh love, oh love
Oh careless -
Yeah you, can't you see
What it have done?

Yes, my mama
She used to kneel an pray
Oh, my mama
She used to kneel an she'd pray
An I b'lieve I heard her say
'Oh Lord, will you see my child, today
And you see what this careless love
Done causin?'

And you can just see, now
What a careless love have done
Now, you can just see
What careless love have done

An you now, you can s-
You can
You can just see
What careless love have done
An you know it done
'Caused me to do a lot of things wrong

An that caused me to
Leave my happy home.

~

I would rather, be a little catfish
So I could swim way down
In the sea-ee
I would have somebody, somebody
Settin' out hooks for me
Settin' out a hook for me
A hook for

You know I went
To my baby's house
She told me to sit down
On her step
'Sir, you can come right on in
Because my
Husband just now left
He just now left
He just now

An I, asked my baby
To let me sit down
'Side her bed
Turn on yo' heater, baby
'Till it turn cherry red
Cherry red
Red an cherry red

That's the reason I rather
Be a little catfish
So I could swim way down
In the sea-ee
I would have netted
Some of these women
Settin' out a line for me
Settin' out their line for me
A line for

You know I went
To the church house
And they called on
Me to pray-ay
I got down on my knees
But I didn't, no
Have no word to say
Not a word to say
No word to say

That's the reason I rather
Be a little catfish
So I could swim
Way down in the sea-ee
I would have somebody, somebody
Settin' out a line for me
Settin' out a line for me
A line for

I don't wanna
Be no tadpole
And I don't want ta be
No bullfrog
An if I can't be
Be your catfish
I won't swim at all
No, I won't swim at all
No, swim at

That's the reason I want ta
Be a little catfish
So I could swim way down
In the sea-ee
I would have these goodlookin' women
Settin' out a hook for me
Settin' out a hook for me
A hook for.

I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man1
I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman man
Aw, nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
Was nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind

I laid down last night, laid down last night
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest
My mind got to ramblin', like a wild geese
From the west, from the west

The woman I love, woman that I loved
Woman I loved, took her from my best friend
But he got lucky, stoled her back again
And he got lucky, stoled her back again
"... The devil was stronger than I was, an' he did have, and is got now, a certain amount of power... And he lives in hell, and that's where he haves his part. And God give him a certain amount of time to be on the earth, in the bowels, persuadin' people... He still have agencies out. Everywhere you've been. And then he's a man don't never sleep. he never get offa his job or duty, That is, you can lay down happy at night, you and your companion... and in harmony. Everything goin' well. Satan'll creep in the house overnight... next mornin' you cannot get a good word out of her. Why?. Because satan has got the bill of sale over her. He done crept in overnight

Note: hyphen = unsung words

Hi-hi
Hi-hi-hi-i
Hi-hi-hi-i
Hi-hi-hi-hi-i
Got to lay down and die

If you should see my heifer
Will you please, please, please, please
Drive her home?
If you see my heifer
Will you please, please, please
Drive her home?
'Cause I've had no milk an butter
Since my calf been born

Lord, I wring me hand
An I declare, I just wanted to scream
I wring my hand
An I 'clare, I wanted to scream
But when I woke up I was glad
That it was all a dream



I am stealin', I am stealin'
I'm stealin', please don't you tell on me
I am stealin', I am stealin'
An please don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' from my reg'lar
Back to my old used to be

Lord, I walked the levee
I done walked it from end to end
You all, walked the levee
And I walked it from end to -
An I was just tryin' to find
My little cow, again

Lord, I hollered, 'Ho-ho-hey'
Hi-hi-hi-hi-hi
Hollered, hi-hi-hi
Hi-hi-hi, hi-hi
You know ev'ry little cow and calf
They got to lay down an die.

(piano to end)

~

I wonder has anybody here
Seen my lovin' Lorenzo, today?
I wonder has anybody here
Seen my lovin' Lorenzo, today?
You know, we had a nice time Christmas
But she left me on New Year's Day

Oh, you got to know her
When you see her
'Cause she's so different
From any other girl
Oh, you've got to know her
When you see her
From any other girl
Because she's made up
Like a Coke-Cola bottle
An she got a likeness
It's outta this world, alright

You know, she's stutters in her speech
An she wiggle and she wobble
When she walk
She's stuttered in her speech


An she wiggle an a-wobble
When she walk
Yes, an she got three gold teeth
An she got deep dimples in her jaw, yeah

I say, 'Hello, Lorenzo, Lorenzo
How in the world come you treat me this-a-way?'
I say, 'Lorenzo, Lorenzo
How in the world come you treat me this-a-way?'
Darling, you know that you was gonna leave me
But you didn't tell me you was goin' to stay

Now, if I can make a half a million
I declare, I'm 'on give it all, to the hoodoo man
I declare, if I can make a half a million
I'm 'on give it all, to the hoodoo man
Just after he promise me that he will
Bring my lovin' Lorenzo, back home to me, again
An I want her back ho-oh-ome, to me again.

~

Crow Janie, Crow Janie, Crow Jane, don't you hold you head high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...
You got to die, you got to...

And I wanna buy me a pistol, wants me forty rounds of ball
Shoot Crow Jane, just to see her fall
She got to fall, she got to...
She got to fall, she got to...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head so high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...

And I dug her grave with s silver spade
Ain't nobody gonna take my Crow Jane place
You can't take her place no, you can't take her...

You know, I dug her grave eight feet in the ground
I didn't feel sorry until they let her down
They had to let her down, let her...they had to let her down...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head too high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...

You know, I let her down with a golden chain
And every link I would call my Crow Jane's name
Crow Jane, Crow... Crow Jane, Crow...

You know I never missed my water till my well went dry
Didn't miss Crow Jane until the day she died
Till the day she...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head too high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...you got to die, you got to...

That's the reason I begged Crow Jane not to hold her head too high
Someday, baby, you know you got to die
You got to lay down and...