16. John Hardy
John Hardy was a brave little man,
He carried two guns ev'ry day.
Killed him a man in the West Virginia land,
Oughta seen poor Johnny gettin' away, Lord, Lord,
Oughta seen poor Johnny gettin' away.
John Hardy was standin' at the barroom door,
He didn't have a hand in the game,
Up stepped his woman and threw down fifty cents,
Says, quot;Deal my man in the game, Lord, Lord....quot;
John Hardy lost that fifty cents,
It was all he had in the game,
He drew the forty-four that he carried by his side
Blowed out that poor Negro's brains, Lord, Lord....
John Hardy had ten miles to go,
And half of that he run,
He run till he come to the broad river bank,
He fell to his breast and he swum, Lord, Lord....
He swum till he came to his mother's house,
quot;My boy, what have you done?quot;
quot;I've killed a man in the West Virginia Land,
And I know that I have to be hung, Lord, Lord....quot;
17. He asked his mother for a fifty-cent piece,
quot;My son, I have no change.quot;
quot;Then hand me down my old forty-four
And I'll blow out my agurvatin' [sic] brains, Lord, Lord....quot;
John Hardy was lyin' on the broad river bank,
As drunk as a man could be;
Up stepped the police and took him by the hand,
Sayin' quot;Johnny, come and go with me, Lord, Lord....quot;
John Hardy had a pretty little girl,
The dress she wore was blue.
She come a-skippin' through the old jail hall
Sayin', quot;Poppy, I'll be true to you, Lord, Lord....quot;
John Hardy had another little girl,
The dress that she wore was red,
She came a-skippin' through the old jail hall
Sayin' quot;Poppy, I'd rather be dead, Lord, Lord....quot;
They took John Hardy to the hangin' ground,
They hung him there to die.
The very last words that poor boy said,
quot;My forty gun never told a lie, Lord, Lord....quot;
23. Down On Penny’s Farm Now here's George Penny come into town,
With his wagon-load of peaches, not one of
Come you ladies and you gentlemen them sound,
And listen to my song, He's got to have his money or somebody's
I'll sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong, check,
May make you mad, but I mean no harm, You pay him for a bushel,
It's all about the renters on Penny's farm. And you don't get a peck.
CHORUS: Then George Penny's renters, they come into
It's hard times in the country, town,
Down on Penny's farm. With their hands in their pockets, and their
heads hanging down,
Now you move out on Penny's farm, Go in the store and the merchant will say:
Plant a little crop of 'bacco and a little crop of corn, quot;Your mortgage is due
He'll come around to plan and plot, And I'm looking for my pay.quot;
Till he gets himself a mortgage
On everything you got. Goes down in his pocket with a trembling
hand --
You go to the fields quot;Can't pay you all but I'll pay you what I can.quot;
And you work all day, Then to the telephone the merchant makes a
Till way after dark, but you get no pay, call,
Promise you meat or a little lard, quot;They'll put you on the chain gang
It's hard to be a renter on Penny's farm. If you don't pay it all.quot;
25. Hard Times In New York Town
Come you ladies and you gentlemen, a-listen to my
song.
Sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong.
Just a little glimpse of a story I'll tell
quot;Bout an East Coast city that you all know well.
It's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in New York town.
Old New York City is a friendly old town,
From Washington Heights to Harlem on down.
There's a-mighty many people all millin' all around,
They'll kick you when you're up and knock you when
you're down.
It's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in New York town.
It's a mighty long ways from the Golden Gate
To Rockefeller Plaza n' the Empire State.
Mister Rockefeller sets up as high as a bird,
Old Mister Empire never says a word.
It's hard times from the country,
Livin' down in New York town.
26. Well, it's up in the mornin' tryin' to find a job of work.
Stand in one place till your feet begin to hurt.
If you got a lot o' money you can make yourself merry,
If you only got a nickel, it's the Staten Island Ferry.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in New York town.
Mister Hudson come a-sailin' down the stream
And old Mister Minuet paid for his dream.
Bought your city on a one-way track,
'F I had my way I'd sell it right back.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in New York town.
I'll take all the smog in Cal-i-for-ne-ay,
'N' every bit of dust in the Oklahoma plains,
'N' the dirt in the caves of the Rocky Mountain mines.
It's all much cleaner than the New York kind.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in New York town.
So all you newsy people, spread the news around,
You c'n listen to m' story, listen to m' song.
You c'n step on my name, you c'n try 'n' get me beat,
When I leave New York, I'll be standin' on my feet.
And it's hard times in the city,
Livin' down in New York town.
28. Frankie
Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
she paid one hundred dollars for Albert's suit of clothes
He's her man, but he did her wrong
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, she ordered her a glass of beer,
she asked the barkeeper, quot;Gas my lovin' Albert been here?quot;
quot;He been here, but he's gone againquot;
quot;Ain't gonna tell you no story, Frankie, I ain't gonna tell you no liequot;
Says, quot;Albert a-passed about a hour ago, with a girl you call Alice Frye
He's your man, and he's doin' you wrong
Frankie went down to the corner saloon, she didn't go to be gone long
She peeked through keyhole in the door, spied Albert in Alice's arm
He's my man, and you's doin' me wrong
29. Frankie called Albert, she shot him three or four times,
says, quot;Stand back, I'm smokin' my gun, let me see is Albert dyin'
He's my man, and he did me wrongquot;
Frankie and the judge walked outta the stand, and walked out side by side
The judge says, quot;Frankie, you're gonna be justified,
killin' a man, and he did you wrongquot;
Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
she paid one hundred dollars for Albert's suit of clothes
He's her man, but he did her wrong
Said, quot;Turn me over, mother, turn me over slow,
it may be my last time, you won't turn me no more
He's my man, and he did me wrongquot;
Says, Frankie was a good girl, everybody know,
she paid one hundred dollars for Albert's suit of clothes
He's her man, but he did her wrong
31. Fishing Blues
Yes, you've been fishin' all the time.
Download RingtoneSend “Fishing Blues”
I'm a-goin' a-fishin' too.
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I bet your life your lovin' wife.
Catch more fish than you.
Went up on the hill about twelve o'clock.
Any fish bite, got good bait.
Reached right back and got me a pole.
Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate.
Went to the hardware and got me a hook.
Any fish bite, you've got good bait.
Attached that line right on that hook.
I'm a-goin' a-fishin', yes, I'm goin' a-fishin',
Says you've been a-fishin' all the time.
I'm a-goin' a-fishin' too.
I'm a-goin' fishin' too.
Put on your skillet, don't never mind your lead.
I bet your life, your lovin'wife.
Mama gonna cook 'em with the short'nin' bread.
Can catch more fish than you.
Says you been fishin' all the time.
Any fish bite if you've got good bait.
I'm a-goin a-fishin' too.
Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate.
I bet your life, your lovin' wife.
Any fish bite, you've got good bait.
Can catch more fish than you.
I'm a-goin' a-fishin', yes, I'm a-goin' a-fishin',
Any fish bite, if you've got good bait.
I'm a-goin' a-fishin' too.
Here's a little somethin' I would like to relate.
Any fish bite, you've got good bait.
Looked down the river about one o'clock.
I'm a-goin' a-fishin', yes, I'm goin' a-fishin',
Spied this catfish swimmin' around.
I'm a-goin' a-fishin' too.
I've got so hungry, didn't know what to do.
I'm gonna get me a catfish too.
33. Goin’ Up the Country
I'm goin' up the country, baby don't you wanna go?
I'm goin' up the country, baby don't you wanna go?
I'm goin' to some place where I've never been before.
I'm goin', I'm goin' where the water tastes like wine.
Well, I'm goin' where the water tastes like wine.
You can jump in the water and stay drunk all the time.
I'm gonna leave this city, got to get away.
I'm gonna leave this city, got to get away.
All this fussin' and fightin', man you know I sure can't stay.
Now baby, packin' up the truck you know I got to leave today.
Just exacly where I'm goin' I can not say, but we might even leave the USA.
It's a brand-new game and I don't wanna play.
No use of you running or screaming and crying
But you got a home man, long as I got mine.
37. Last Fair Deal Gone Down
It's the last fair deal goin' down,
Take camp tain he and see, camp ain't he and see
last fair deal goin' down
At scal ain't be at seen, good Lord,
It's the last fair deal goin' down, good Lord,
on that Gulfport Island Road
on that Gulfport Island Road
Ah, this last fair deal goin' down,
Please, Ida Belle, don't cry this time
it's the last fair deal goin' down
Ida Belle, don't cry this time
This' the last fair deal goin' down, good Lord,
If you cry about a nickel, you'll die 'bout a dime
on this Gulfport Island Road1
She wouldn't cry, but the money won't mine
I'm workin' my way back home,
I love the way you do,
I'm working my way back home
I love the way you do
I'm workin' my way back home, good Lord,
I love the way you do, good Lord,
on this Gulfport Island Road
on this Gulfport Island Road
And that thing don't keep-a ringin' so soon
My captain's so mean on me,
That thing don't keep-a ringin' so soon
my captain's so mean on me
And that thing don't keep-a ringin' so soon,
My captain's so mean on me, good Lord,
good Lord, on that Gulfed-and-Port Island Road
on this Gulfport Island Road
38. The Coo Coo Bird
Gonna build me a log cabin Um hmm hmm...
on a mountian so high
So I can see Willie I've played cards in England
as he goes on by I've played cards in Spain
I'll bet you ten dollars
Um hmm hmm... I beat you this game
Oh the coo-coo is a pretty bird Oh the coo-coo is a pretty bird
She wobbles when she flies She wobbles when she flies
She never hollers coo-coo She never hollers coo-coo
'Til the fourth day of July 'Til the fourth day of July
I've played cards in England
I've played cards in Spain
I'll bet you ten dollars
I'll beat you next game
Jack of diamonds, Jack of diamonds
I've known you from old
Now you've robbed my poor pockets
Of my silver and my gold
41. John The Revelator
Well who's that a writing? John The Revelator
Who's that a writing? John The Revelator
Who's that a writing? John The Revelator
A book of the seven seals.
Tell me what's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
A book of the seven seals.
Now who art worthy, crucified and holy
Bound up for some, Son of our God
Daughter of Zion, Judea's Lion
He redeemed us, Jesus bought us with
his blood
Now tell me who's that a writing? John The
Revelator
Who's that a writing? John The Revelator
Who's that a writing? John The Revelator
A book of the seven seals.
42. Well what's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
A book of the seven seals.
Well Moses to Moses, Watching the flock
Saw the bush where they had to stop
God told Moses pull off your shoes
Out of the flock, a well a you I choose
Now tell me who's that a writing? John The
Revelator
Who's that a writing? John The Revelator
Who's that a writing? John The Revelator
A book of the seven seals.
Well what's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
What's John a writing? Ask The Revelator
A book of the seven seals.
44. Did you ever hear them church bells toll,
See That My Grave is Kept Clean Did you ever hear them church bells toll,
Did you ever hear them church bells toll,
Well, there's one kind of favor I'll ask of you, Means another poor boy is dead and gone.
Well, there's one kind of favor I'll ask of you,
There's just one kind of favor I'll ask of you, Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands
You can see that my grave is kept clean. turned cold,
Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands
And there's two white horses following me, turned cold,
And there's two white horses following me, Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands
I got two white horses following me, turned cold,
Waiting on my burying ground. Now I believe what the Bible told.
Did you ever hear that coffin sound, There's just one last favor I'll ask of you,
Have you ever heard that coffin sound, And there's one last favor I'll ask of you,
Did you ever hear that coffin sound, There's just one last favor I'll ask of you,
Means another poor boy is under ground. See that my grave is kept clean.