World Gone Wrong

Strange things have happened like never before
My baby told me I would have to go
I can’t be good no more, once like I did before
I can’t be good, baby
Honey, because the world gone wrong.

Feel bad this morning, ain’t got no home
No use in worrying cause the world gone wrong
I can’t be good no more, once, like I did before
I can’t be good baby
Honey, because the world gone wrong.

I told you baby, right to your head
If I didn’t leave you, I would have to kill you dead
I can’t be good no more, once, like I did before
I can’t be good baby
Honey, cause the world gone wrong.

I tried to be lovin', and treat you kind
But it seem like you never right, you got no loyal mind
I can’t be good no more, once, like I did before
I can’t be good baby
Honey, cause the world’s gone wrong.

If you had a woman and she don’t treat you kind
Praise the Good Lord to get her out of your mind
I can’t be good no more, once, like I did before
I can’t be good baby
Honey, because the world gone wrong.

Said, when you been good now, can’t do no more
Just tell her kindly, "There is the front door"
I can’t be good no more, once, like I did before
I can’t be good baby
Honey, because the world’s gone wrong.

Pack up my suitcase, give me my hat
No use to ask me baby, cause I’ll never be back
I can’t be good no more, once, like I did before
I can’t be good baby.
Honey, because the world gone wrong.

"Get down, get down Love Henry," she cried
"And stay all night with me
I have gold chains, and the finest I have
I’ll apply them all to thee."

"I can’t get down and I shan’t get down
Or stay all night with thee
Some pretty little girl in Cornersville
I love far better than thee."

He layed his head on a pillow of down
Kisses she gave him three
With a penny knife that she held in her hand
She murdered mortal he.

"Get well, get well Love Henry," she cried
"Get well, get well," said she
"Oh don’t you see my own heart’s blood
Come flowin' down so free ?"

She took him by his long yellow hair
And also by his feet
She plunged him into well water, where
It runs both cold and deep.

"Lie there, lie there, Love Henry," she cried
"'Til the flesh rots off your bones
Some pretty little girl in Cornersville
Will mourn for your return."

"Hush up, hush up, my parrot," she cried
"Don’t tell no news on me
Or these costly beads around my neck
I’ll apply them all to thee."

"Fly down, fly down pretty bird," she cried
"And light on my right knee
The doors to your cage shall be decked with gold
And hung on a willow tree."

"I won’t fly down, I can’t fly down
And light on your right knee
A girl who would murder her own true love
Would kill a little bird like me."

Lord I’m broke, I’m hungry, ragged and dirty too
Broke and hungry, ragged and dirty too
If I clean up sweet mama, can I stay all night with you.

Lord, I went to my window, babe, I couldn’t see through my blinds
Went to my window, babe I couldn’t see through my blinds
Heard my best friend coming around I thought I heard my baby cry.

Lord, if I can’t come in here, baby then just let me sit down in your door
If I can’t come in here baby then just let me sit down in your door
And I would leave so soon that your man won’t never know.

How can I live here baby, Lord, and feel at ease ?
How can I live here baby, Lord, and feel at ease ?
Well, that woman I got, man, she do just what she feels.

Lord you shouldn’t mistreat me, baby, because I’m young and wild
Shouldn’t mistreat me, baby, because I’m young and wild
You must always remember, baby, you was once a child.

'Cause I’m leaving in the morning, if I have to ride the blind
Leaving in the morning, if I have to ride the blinds
Well, I’ve been mistreated and I swear, I don’t mind dyin'.

Woke up this morning, feeling blue
Seen a good looking girl, can I make love with you
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
I got blood in my eyes for you, baby
I don’t care what in the world you do.

I went back home, put on my tie
Gonna get that girl that money will buy
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
I got blood in my eyes for you, baby
I don’t care what in the world you do.

She looked at me, begin to smile
Said, "Hey, hey, man, can’t you wait a little while ?"
No, no babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
No, no babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
Got blood in my eyes for you, baby
I don’t care what in the world you do.

No, no, ma’am, I can’t wait
You got my money, now you’re trying to break this date
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
Got blood in my eyes for you, baby
I don’t care what in the world you do.

I’ll tell you something, tell you the facts
You don’t want to give my money back
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
Hey, hey, babe, I got blood in my eyes for you
I got blood in my eyes for you, baby
I don’t care what in the world you do.

Feel like a broke down engine ain’t got no drivin' wheel
Feel like a broke down engine ain’t got no drivin' wheel
You all been down and lonesome, you know just how a poor man feels.

Been shooting craps and gambling, momma, and I done got broke
Been shooting craps and gambling, momma, and I done got broke
I done pawned my pistol baby, my best clothes been sold.

Lordy, Lord, Lordy, Lordy, Lord, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Lordy Lord.

I went down in my praying ground, fell on my bended knees
Went down to my praying ground, fell on my bended knees
I ain’t cryin' for no religion, Lord, give me back my good gal please.

If you give me back my baby, I won’t worry you no more
Give me back my baby, I won’t worry you no more
Don’t have to put her in my house, Lordy, just lead her to my door.

Lordy, Lord, Lordy, Lordy, Lord, Lordy, Lordy, Lordy
Lordy Lord.

Can’t you hear me baby, rappin' on your door ?
Can’t you hear me baby, rappin' on your door ?
Now you hear me tappin', tappin' across your floor.

Feel like a broke down engine, ain’t got no drive at all
Feel like a broke down engine, ain’t got no drive at all
What made me love my woman, she can really do the Georgia Crawl.

Feel like a broke down engine, ain’t got no whistle or bell
Feel like a broke down engine, ain’t got no whistle or bell
If you’re a real hot momma, come take away Daddy’s weeping spell.

Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around
Delia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia’s dear ol' mother took a trip out West
When she returned, little Delia’d gone to rest.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia’s Daddy weeped, Delia’s momma moaned
Wouldn’t have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis’s looking high, Curtis’s looking low
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

High upon the housetops, high as I can see
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Men in Atlanta, trying to pass for white
Delia’s in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Judge says to Curtis, "What’s this noise about ?"
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."

All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis said to the judge "What might be my fine ?"
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."

All the friends I ever had are gone.
Curtis' in the jailhouse, drinking from an old tin cup
Delia’s in the graveyard, she ain’t gettin' up.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia, oh Delia, how can it be ?
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia, oh Delia, how could it be ?
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.

All the friends I ever had are gone.

Hawlin Alley on a dark and drizzly night
Billy Lyons and Stack-A-Lee had one terrible fight
All about that John B. Stetson Hat.

Stack-A-Lee walked to the bar-room and he called for a glass of beer
Turned around to Billy Lyons, said "What you doin' here ?"
"Waitin' for a train to bring my woman home."

"Stack-A-Lee, oh Stack-A-Lee please don’t take my life
Got three little children and a weepin', loving wife
You’re a bad man, bad man Stack-A-Lee."

"God bless your children and I’ll take care of your wife
You stole my John B., now I’m bound to take your life"
All about that John B. Stetson Hat.

Stack-A-Lee turned to Billy Lyons and shot him right through the head
Only taking one shot to kill Billy Lyons dead
All about that John B. Stetson Hat.

Sent for the doctor, well the doctor he did come
Just pointed out Stack-A-Lee, said, "Now what have you done ?"
You’re a bad man, bad man Stack-A-Lee.

Six big horses and a rubber-tired hack
Taking him to the cemetery, but they failed to bring him back
All about that John B. Stetson Hat.

Hawlin Alley, thought I heard the bulldogs bark
It must have been old Stack-A-Lee stumbling in the dark
He’s a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail.

High police walked on to Stack-A-Lee, he was lying fast asleep
High police catched Stack-A-Lee, and he jumped forty feet
He’s a bad man, gonna land him right back in jail.

Well they got old Stack-A-Lee, and they led him right back in jail
Couldn’t get a man around to go Stack-A-Lee’s bail
All about that John B. Stetson Hat.

Stack-A-Lee turned to the jailer, he said "Jailer, I can’t sleep
'Round my bedside Billy Lyons begin to creep"
All about that John B. Stetson Hat.

He was just a blue-eyed Boston boy
His voice was low with pain
"I’ll do your bidding comrade mine
If I ride back again
But if you ride back and I am left
You’ll do as much for me
Mother you know, must hear the news
So write to her tenderly."

"She’s waiting at home like a patient saint
Her fond face pale with woe
Her heart will be broken when I am gone
I’ll see her soon, I know"
Just then the order came to charge
For an instant hand touched hand
They said "Aye" and away they rode
That brave and devoted band.

Straight was the track to the top of the hill
The rebels they shot and shelled
Plowed furrows of death through the toilling ranks
And guarded them as they fell
There soon came a horrible dying yell
From heights that they could not gain
And those whom doom and death had spared
Rode slowly back again.

But among the dead that were left on the hill
Was the boy with the curly hair
The tall dark man who rode by his side
Lay dead beside him there
There’s no one to write to the blue-eyed girl
The words that her lover had said
Momma, you know, awaits the news
And she’ll only know he’s dead.

Oh, there was a wealthy merchant, in London he did dwell
He had a lovely daughter, the truth to you I’ll tell
Oh, the truth to you I’ll tell.

She had sweethearts a-plenty and men of high degree
There was none but Jackie Frazier, her true love e’er to bee
Oh, her true lover e’er to be.

"Oh daughter, oh daughter your body I will confine
If none but Jack the sailor, would ever suit your mind
Oh, would ever suit your mind."

"This body you may imprison, my heart you can’t confine
There’s none but Jack the Sailor would have this heart of mine
Oh, would have this heart of mine."

Now Jackie’s gone a-sailing with trouble on his mind
To leave his native country and his darling girl behind
Oh, his darling girl behind.

She went into the tailor shop and dressed in men’s array
Then she went into a vessel to convey herself away
Oh, convey herself away.

"Before you step on board, sir, your name I’d like to know"
She smiled all in her countenance, said, "They call me Jack-A-Roe"
Oh, they call me Jack-A-Roe.

"Your waist is light and slender, your fingers neat and small
Your cheeks too red and rosy for to face the cannonball"
Oh, to face the cannonball.

"I know my waist is slender and my fingers they are small
But it would not make me tremble for to see ten thousand fall"
Oh, to see ten thousand fall.

The war soon being over, they hunted all around
Among the dead and dying her darling love she found
Oh, her darling love she found.
She picked him up all in her arms and carried him to town
And sent for her physician to quickly heal his wounds
Oh, to quickly heal his wounds.

This couple, they got married, so well they did agree
This couple they got married, so why not you and me
Oh, so why not you and me ?

I came to the place where the lone pilgrim lay
And patiently stood by his tomb
When in a low whisper I heard something say:
How sweetly I sleep here alone.

The tempest may howl and the loud thunder roar
And gathering storms may arise
But calm is my feeling, at rest is my soul
The tears are all wiped from my eyes.

The call of my master compelled me from home
No kindred or relative nigh
I met the contagion and sank to the tomb
My soul flew to mansions on high.

Go tell my companion and children most dear
To weep not for me now I’m gone
The same hand that led me through seas most severe
Has kindly assisted me home.