Crossroad Blues

By Robert Johnson

I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
I went to the crossroad, fell down on my knees
Asked the lord above "Have mercy, save poor Bob, if you please"

Mmmmm, standin' at the crossroad, i tried to flag a ride
Standin' at the crossroad, i tried to flag a ride
Didn't nobody semm to know me, everybody pass me by

Mmmm, the sun goin' down, boy, dark gon' catch me here
Oooo, eeee, boy, dark gon' catch me here
I haven't got no lovin' sweet woman that love and feel my care

You can run, you can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown
You can run, tell my friend-boy Willie Brown
Lord i'm standin' at the crossroad, babe, i believe i'm sinkin' down

Hell Hound on my Trail
by Robert Johnson

I got to keep moving, I got to keep moving
Blues falling down like hail, blues falling down like hail
Mmm, blues falling down like hail, blues falling down like hail
And the day keeps on remindin' me, there's a hellhound on my trail
Hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail

If today was Christmas eve, if today was Christmas eve
And tomorrow was Christmas day
If today was Christmas eve and tomorrow was Christmas day
All I would need is my little sweet rider
Just to pass the time away, to pass the time away

You sprinkled hot foot powder, mmm, around my door
All around my door
You sprinkled hot foot powder, all around your daddy's door
It keeps me with ramblin' mind rider
Every old place I go, every old place I go

I can tell the wind is risin', the leaves tremblin' on the tree
Tremblin' on the tree
I can tell the wind is risin', leaves tremblin' on the tree
All I need is my little sweet woman
And to keep my company, hey, hey, hey, hey, my company

Me and the Devil Blues
by Robert Johnson

Early this morning
When you knocked upon my door
Early this morning, oooo
When you knocked upon my door
And I said hello Satan
I believe it's time to go

Me and the Devil
Was walkin' side by side
Me and the Devil, woooo
Was walking side by side
And I'm going to beat my woman
'Til I get satisfied

She said you don't see why
That she would dog me 'round
(Spoken:) Now baby you know you ain't doin' me right don'tcha
She say you don't see why, whoooo
That she would dog me 'round
It must-a be that old evil spirit
So deep down in the ground

You may bury my body
Down by the highway side
(Spoken:) Baby, I don't care where you bury my body when I'm dead and gone
You may bury my body, woooo
Down by the highway side
So my old evil spirit
Can get a Greyhound bus and ride

Stones in my Passway
by Robert Johnson

I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I got stones in my passway, and my road seem dark as night
I have pains in my heart, they have taken my appetite

I have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
Have a bird to whistle, and I have a bird to sing
I got a woman that I'm lovin', boy, but she don't mean a thing

My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken poor Bob at last
My enemies have betrayed me, have overtaken poor Bob at last
And there's one thing certainly, they have stones all in my pass

Now you tryin' to take my life, and all my lovin' too
You laid a passway for me, now what are you trying to do?
I'm cryin' please, please let us be friends
And when you hear me howlin' in my passway, rider, please open your door and let me in

I got three lane's to truck home, boys, please don't block my road
I got three lane's to truck home, boys, please don't block my road
I've been feelin' ashamed 'bout my rider, babe, I'm booked and I got to go

OLD BLACK CAT BLUES (JINX BLUES)
by (James) Kokomo Arnold

I believe that I've got those black cat blues
I believe that I've got those black cat blues
Lord, if I win on Friday, please, Saturday night I'm sure to lose

Yes, these black cat blues, mama, ain't nothin' but a doggone heart disease
Said these black cat blues, mama, ain't nothin' but a doggone heart disease
Said I was broke and disgusted, I didn't have no money for Christmas Eve

Says the black cat blues, mama, don't mean no one man no good
Says the black cat blues, mama, don't mean no one man no good
Said all my friends done forgot me; everybody's down on me in my neighborhood

Lord, some folks say blues is trouble, nothin' but evil runnin' 'cross your mind
Some folks say blues is trouble, nothin' but evil runnin' 'cross your mind
When you get to sittin' down thinkin' 'bout the black gal's treated you so nice and kind

Ah, if the black cat blues was money, I would be rich as Henry Ford
Man, if the black cat blues was money, I would be rich as Henry Ford
Lord, if the black cat blues don't leave me, mama, Lord, I've got to get further down the road

COUNTRY WOMAN BLUES
by Will Batts

I've got two women in the country, I've got two women stays in town
(spoken) Yeah, boy!
I've got two women in the country, I've got two women stays in town
Reason i can visit so careful 'cause ne'er 'un don't dog me around

Say, you may be brownskin woman, great God, your hair long as my arm
(spoken) All right, sing it, boy
Say, you may be brownskin woman, great God, your hair long as my arm
(spoken) Yeah!
Can't do the bedspring polka, you sure done lost your home

(spoken) Well, play it, boy!

Now the short-haired woman waitin' for to carry your troubles on
Make you think through the day-time, trouble you all night long
(spoken) Why?
She make you think you right, when you know darn well you wrong
(spoken) Yeah, boy!

I don't want no jealous-hearted women, great God, makin' up my bed
I don't want no jealous-hearted women,
(spoken) No!
great God, makin' up my bed
Man, she put something in your mattress, made you wish you was dead

SOLD IT TO THE DEVIL
by Black Spider Dumpling

I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil and my heart done turned to stone
I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, he won't let me alone
Said i'm hateful and i'm evil, I carries a Gatling gun
I drink carbolic acid, be darned if i will run
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil and my heart done turned to stone.

I done sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me alone
I got a little baker shop right downtown
Everything i bake, it is nice and brown
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I sold it, I sold it, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
My life it is unhapy, it won't last me long
Everything i do, seem like i do's it wrong
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
I eat black spider dumplings for my dessert
Go to the blacksmith, let him make my shirt
But I sold it, I sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
I live down in the valley, five hundred steps
Where the bears and the tigers, they come to take their rest
But I sold it, sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to stone.

I done sold my soul, sold it to the Devil, but he won't let me be 'lone
I went to a place that I knew so well
I shot that Devil right in Hell
But I sold it, sold it
Sold it to the Devil, and my heart done turned to ... eee-eee-vohl, eee-vohl [evil]

COTTON-EYED JOE
[uncredited]

Don't you remember, don't you know,
Don't you remember Cotton-eyed Joe?
Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
What did make you treat me so?
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!

Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
He was de nig dat sarved me so,-
Tuck my gal away fum me,
Carried her off to Tennessee.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!

His teeth was out an' his nose was flat,
His eyes was crossed, - but she did n't mind dat.
Kase he was tall, and berry slim,
An' so my gal she follered him.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!

She was de prettiest gal to be found
Anywhar in de country round;
Her lips was red an' her eyes was bright,
Her skin was black but her teeth was white.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!

Dat gal, she sho' had all my love,
An' swore fum me she'd never move,
But Joe hoodooed her, don't you see,
An' she run off wid him to Tennessee.
I'd 'a' been married forty year ago
Ef it had n't a-been for Cotton-eyed Joe!

JIM TAMPA BLUES
by Lucille Bogan

Hey, Jim Tampa, hey, Jim Tampa
Hey, Jim Tampa, you treat your woman so mean
You treat your tommies like a woman you ain't never seen.

Womens all know my man, call him Mister Tampa Long
(spoken) Why shouldn't they call me? They know my name.
Womens all know my man, call him Mister Tampa Long
He made so much money, women, when the weather was warm
(spoken) Ah no, I ain't made no money in my life.

My man's got five womens, I can call 'em by their natural names
He's got five womens, call them by their natural names
(spoken) Lord, I don't know how they do it.
And all them repeaters sound just the same
(spoken) I ain't just the same, though, no, no.

It must be a black cat bone, jomo can't work that hard
(spoken) Oh, what is a jomo anyhow? Tell me.
It must be a black cat bone, jomo can't work that hard
(spoken) What kind of a thing is it?
Every time I wake up, Jim Tampa's in my yard.

I can stand right here, five miles down the road
I can stand right here, five miles down the road
Yeah, to get in the way Jim Tampa used to go.

HOODOO BLUES
by Bessie Brown

I'm on the war path now, I'm mean and evil I vow,
Some woman stole my man, to get even I've a plan.

Gonna sprinkle ding 'em dust all around her door
Gonna sprinkle ding 'em dust all around her door
Put a spider in her dumplin', make her crawl all over the floor

Goin' 'neath her window, gonna lay a black cat bone
Goin' 'neath her window, gonna lay a black cat bone
Burn a candle on her picture, she won't let my good man alone.

Got myself some gris-gris, tote it up in a sack
Got myself some gris-gris, tote it up in a sack
Gonna keep on wearin' it till I get my good man back

I was born 'way down in Algiers, I wear conjure in my shoes
Born 'way down in Algiers, I wear conjure in my shoes
Gonna fix that woman, make her sing them hoodoo blues.

JINX IS ON ME
by Gabriel Brown

The jinx is on me, jinx is on me,
I can't have no luck at all, jinx is on me.

I once told to get a reading, that was the very best thing to do,
Well, that Gypsy told me there ain't nothing in the cards for you.

The jinx is on me, jinx is on me,
I can't have no luck at all, the jinx is on me.

Me and my friends played a number, just as happy as happy could be,
Everybody got paid for that number, everybody got paid but me.

(Spoken): I lost my stake.

The jinx is on me, jinx is on me,
I can't have no luck at all, the jinx is on me.

I wanted to play a guitar, I just wore myself out trying,
I didn't learn how to do a doggone thing, but what makes this guitar cry.

(Spoken): Listen at it. [slide guitar demonstration] I can, baby. [more slide]

I'm gonna catch myself a freight train, going way out in the west,
Now, any old place that's gonna take me out this mess.

The jinx is on me, jinx is on me,
I can't have no luck at all, the jinx is on me

THE INS AND OUTS OF MY GIRL
by Bo Carter

Says, my baby got something; I don't know what it is,
I mean, the gal got something; I don't know what it is;
I mean, my baby got something; I don't know what it is,
I mean, every time she love me, man, you know I can't be still.

She got something like a stingaree,
I mean, she got something like a stingaree;
I mean, the girl got something like a stingaree
She can stand in Memphis, man, and put the jinx on me.

What she got now, it is surprisin'
Hey, what she got is really surprisin'
What she got now, it is surprisin'
I mean, what she got, man, surely will hypnotize.

She told me things that was a fact,
I mean, she told me things that was a fact;
I mean, she told me things that was a fact,'
She said, "Man, if you'll love me, you surely will trot along back."

She got something that I really do love,
I mean, she got something that I really do love;
I mean, she got something that I really do love,
It ain't in her stockin', man you know it's just above.

I told her things that I want her to own,
I mean, I told her things that I want her to own;
Hey, I told her things that I wanted her to own,
Says, "I want you to come and do my lovin' in my own home, home."

GOOFER DUST
by Big Lucky Carter (Levester Carter)

Now run here Conjure Man, tell your brother Mojo Sam
I want you to tell his voodooing daddy,
She's gone back to Birmingham.

I wants goofer dust, sprinkled all around my baby's door,
Maybe next time she won't try to leave me,
She won't try to leave, leave me no more.

I want 13 grand-daddy legs and 13 gallons of dragoon blood,
I want to stir it for 13 hours, add 13 pounds of jigger-hose mud,
I want 13 portions, around 13 window panes,
Then maybe she will tell me, her 13 lovers' names

I wants goofer dust, sprinkled all around my baby's door,
And maybe the next time she won't try to leave me,
She won't try to leave, leave me no more.

I got a letter from the Flyin' Buzzard and one from Madam Decoix,
They said, "We heard you was in trouble, we just tryin' to help you boy,
We can send you 13 dry terrapins wrapped in 13 toad frog skins,
She will only tell you where she's goin',
she won't tell you where she's been."

I wants goofer dust, sprinkled all around my baby's door,
Maybe the next time she won't try to leave me,
She won't try to leave, leave me no more.

HOO DOO BLUES
by HARRY CHATMON

I'm the old hoodoo, works with white mojo.
I'm the old hoodoo, works with white mojo,
I can get a woman a man, anywhere I go.

A woman come to me, beggin' and cryin',
"Someone have done went and took that man of mine;"
"Listen, sweet mama, looked at your hand,
Go back home and control your man."

'Cause I'm the old hoodoo, works with white mojo.
I'm the old hoodoo, works with white mojo,
I can get a woman a man, anywhere I go.'

[piano break] (Spoken) Step on it, boy. [piano break]

I'll tell you one thing, sweet mama, what you'll have to do,
Go down town and get you a old horseshoe.
Come back home and fix it up over your front door,
Bet you five dollars your man'll never leave home no more.

'Cause I'm the old hoodoo, works with white mojo.
I'm the old hoodoo, works with white mojo,
I can get a woman a man, anywhere I go.

HOODOO BLUES
by The Chicago String Band

I believe, somebody's done hoodoo'd poor me
I believe, somebody's done hoodoo'd poor me
Every card I pick's the first one that falls,
dice won't do nothing but two, twelves, and three

When you've got a good woman, you can get every no-good babe in town
When you've got a good woman, you can get every no-good babe in town
And when you lose that good woman,
all those no-good dames, they'll throw you down

Yes, she's not good looking, I swear, but she's got such affectionate ways
Yes, she's not so good looking, yes, but she's got such affectionate ways
Good looks don't mean a thing,
kind treatment is only what counts these days

Lord, did you ever get the blues, steal away from your friends and cry?
Yes, did you ever get the blues, steal away from your friends and cry?
That's a bitter pill to swallow,
just as sure as you are born to die