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Blues for Bessie - Myron O'Higgins


Let de peoples know (unnh)
      what dey did in dat Southern Town
Let de peoples know
       what dey did in dat Southern Town
Well, dey lef' po' Bessie dyin'
       wid de blood (Lawd) a-streamin' down


Bessis lef' Chicago
       in a bran' new Cadillac;
       didn' take no suitcase
       but she wore her mournin' black (unnh)
Bessie, Bessie,
       she wore her mournin; black
She went ridin' down to Dixie (Lawd)
       an' dey shipped her body back


Lawd, wasn't it a turr'ble
       when dat rain come down
Yes, wasn't it a turr'ble
       when de rain come down
An' ol' Death caught po' Bessie
       down in ‘at Jim Crow town


Well, de thunder rolled
       an' de lightnin' broke de sky
Lawd, de thunder rolled
       an' de lightnin' broke de sky
An' you could hear po' Bessie moanin',
       "Gret Gawd, please doan lemme die!"


She holler, "Lawd please hep me!",
       but He never heerd a word she say
Holler, "Please, somebody help me!",
      but dey never heerd a word she say
Frien', when yo' luck run out in Dixie,
       well, it doan do no good to pray


Well, dey give po' Bessie
       to de undertaker man;
       ol' Death an' Jim Crow (Lawd)
       done de job, hand in han'
Well, Bessie, Bessie,
       she won't sing de blues no mo'
Cause dey let her go down bloody (Lawd)
       trav'lin' from door to do'


Bessie lef' Chicago
       in a bran' new Cad'lac eight
Yes, Bessie lef' Chicago
       in a gret big Cad'lac eight
But dey shipped po' Bessie back (Lawd)
       on dat lonesome midnight freight


Lawd, let de peoples know
       what dey did in dat Southern Town
Yes, let de peoples know
       what dey did in dat Southern Town
Well, dey lef' po' Bessie dyin'
       wid de blood (Lawd) a-streamin' down




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revised 24 August 2011
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