The legendary Robert Johnson's recordings are collected on the Columbia Roots 'n' Blues "Complete Recordings" (2 Cd's); the later issues contain the lyrics in the booklet. Nevertheless, due to "popular demand", we will include many of his lyrics here.
Read about Robert Johnson at the All-Music Guide website.
This page contains lyrics to the following song(s):
Recorded on 26 November 1936 in San Antonio, Texas.
I sent for my baby, and she don't come I sent for my baby, man, and she don't come All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none And if she gets unruly, thinks she don't want do If she gets unruly, and thinks she don't want do Take my 32-20, and cut her half in two She got a thirty-eight special, but I believe it's most too light She got a thirty-eight special, but I believe it's most too light I got a 32-20, got to make the camps alright If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come If I send for my baby, man, and she don't come All the doctors in Hot Springs sure can't help her none I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna shoot my Gatlin' gun I'm gonna shoot my pistol, gonna shoot my Gatlin' gun You made me love you, now your man have come Aw baby, where you stay last night? Ah baby, where you stay last night? You got your hair all tangled, and you ain't talkin' right Got a thirty-eight special, boys, it do very well Got a thirty-eight special, boys, it do very well I Got a 32-20 now, and it’s a burnin’ -- If I send for my baby, man and she don’t come If I send for my baby, man and she don’t come All the doctors in Wisconsin sure can’t help her none Hey hey baby, where you stay last night Hey hey baby, where you stayed last night You didn’t come home until the sun was shinin’ bright Ah boys, I just can’t take my rest Ah boys, I just can’t take my rest With this 32-20 layin’ up and down my breast
I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand And I followed her to the station with a suitcase in my hand Well it's hard to tell it's hard to tell, when all your love's in vain All my love's in vain When the train rolled up to the station, I looked her in the eye When the train rolled up to the station, and I looked her in the eye Well I was lonesome I felt so lonesome, and I could not help but cry All my love's in vain When the train it left the station, 't was two lights on behind When the train it left the station, 't was two lights on behind Well the blue light was my blues and the red light was my mind All my love's in vain Ooh... (vocalized verse) All my love's in vain
Recorded in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday, November 23, 1936.
Mmm... you better come on in my kitchen babe, it’s goin’ to be rainin’ outdoors The woman I love, took from my best friend Some joker got lucky, stole her back again You better come on in my kitchen babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors Oh, she's gone, I know she won't come back I've taken the last nickel out of her nation sack You better come on in my kitchen, baby, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors (Spoken: Oh, can't you hear that wind howl?) Can't you hear that wind howl? You better come on in my kitchen, baby, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors When a woman gets in trouble, everybody throws her down Lookin' for her good friend, none can't be found You better come on in my kitchen, baby, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors Winter time's comin', it's goin' to be slow You can make the winter, babe, that's dry long so You better come on in my kitchen, 'cause it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
From the November 27, 1936 recording session in San Antonio, Texas.
I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees I went to the crossroads, fell down on my knees Asked the Lord above, have mercy now, save poor Bob if you please Standin' at the crossroads, tried to flag a ride Whee-hee, I tried to flag a ride Didn't nobody seem to know me, everybody pass me by Standin' at the crossroads, risin' sun goin' down Standin' at the crossroads baby, the risin' sun goin' down I believe to my soul now, po' Bob is sinkin' down You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown You can run, you can run, tell my friend Willie Brown That I got the crossroad blues this mornin', Lord, baby I'm sinkin' down I went to the crossroad, mama, I looked east and west I went to the crossroad, babe, I looked east and west Lord, I didn't have no sweet woman, ooh well, babe, in my distress
Recorded in Dallas, Texas, on 19 June 1937.
From four until late, I was wringing my hands and cryin' (2x) I believe to my soul that your daddy's Gulfport bound From Memphis to Norfolk is a thirty-six hours' ride (2x) A man is like a prisoner, and he's never satisfied A woman is like a dresser, some man always ramblin' through its drawers (2x) It cause so many men, wear an apron over-all From four until late, she get with a no good bunch and clown (2x) Now she won't do nothin', but tear a good man's reputation down When I leave this town, I'm gon' bid you fare, farewell (2x) And when I return again, you'll have a great long story to tell
Recorded on Sunday, 20 June, 1937 in Dallas Texas (his last recording date)
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
Recorded on 23 November 12936 in San Antonio, Texas. "Dust my broom" later became the signature tune of Elmore James, of course.
I'm gon' get up in the mornin', I believe I'll dust my broom (2x) Girlfriend, the black man you been lovin', girlfriend, can get my room I'm gon' write a letter, telephone every town I know (2x) If I can't find her in West Helena, she must be in East Monroe, I know I don't want no woman, wants every downtown man she meet (2x) She's a no good doney, they shouldn't 'low her on the street I believe, I believe I'll go back home (2x) You can mistreat me here, babe, but you can't when I go home And I'm gettin' up in the morning, I believe I'll dust my broom (2x) Girlfriend, the black man that you been lovin', girlfriend, can get my room I'm gon' call up Chiney, she is my good girl over there (2x) If I can't find her on Philippine's Island, she must be in Ethiopia somewhere
According to the records, this is the very first recording made by Robert Johnson, on 23 November 1936 in a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas.
I got a kindhearted woman, do anything in this world for me I got a kindhearted woman, do anything in this world for me But these evilhearted women, man, they will not let me be I love my baby, my baby don't love me I love my baby oooh, my baby don't love me I really love that woman, can't stand to leave her be There ain't but one thing, makes Mr. Johnson drink, I's worried 'bout how you treat me, baby, I begin to think Oh, babe, my life don't feel the same You breaks my heart, when you call Mr. So and So's name She's a kindhearted woman, she studies evil all the time She's a kindhearted woman, she studies evil all the time You well's to kill me, as to have it on your mind
From his last recording session, June 20, 1937 (in Dallas)
Now she is a little queen of spades, and the men will not let her be Hoo, she's the little queen of spades, and the men will not let her be Ev'ry time she makes a spread, hoo, fair brown, cold chills just run all over me I'm gon' get me a gamblin' woman, if it's the last thing that I do Hoo, gon' get me a gamblin' woman, if it's the last thing that I do Well, a man don't need a woman, hoo fair brown, that he got to give all his money to Everybody say she got a mojo, now she's been using that stuff Mmmm, everybody say she got a mojo, cause she's been using that stuff But she got a way of trimmin' down, hoo fair brown, and I mean it's most too tough Now, little girl, since I am the king, baby, and you is a queen Whoo hoo, since I am the king, baby, and you is a queen Let’s us put our heads together, hoo fair brown, then we make our money green
From the November 23, 1936 session in San Antonio.
Rambling On My Mind (Robert Johnson) I got ramblin', I’ve got ramblin' on my mind I got ramblin', I’ve got ramblin' all on my mind Hate to leave my baby, but she treats me so unkind I got mean things, I’ve got mean things all on my mind Little girl little girl, I got mean things all on my mind Hate to leave you here baby, but you treat me so unkind Runnin' down to the station, catch the first mail train I see Runnin' down to the station, catch that ol’ first mail train I see I got the blues about miss so-and-so, and the child's got the blues about me And I'm leaving this morning, with my arms fold up and cryin' And I'm leaving this morning, with my arms fold up and cryin' I hate to leave my baby, but she treats me so unkind I got mean things, I’ve got mean things all on my mind I got mean things, I’ve got mean things all on my mind I got to leave my baby, but she treats me so unkind
Recorded on 23 November 1936 in San Antonio; a classic blues that has been recorded innumerable times in various versions (like Eddie Burns who replaced Chicago with Detroit...)
See also:
Oh, baby don't you want to go Oh, baby don't you want to go Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago Oh, baby don't you want to go Oh, baby don't you want to go Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago Now, one and one is two, two and two is four I'm heavy loaded baby, I'm booked, I gotta go Cryin' baby, honey, don't you want to go Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago Now two and two is four, four and two is six You gon' keep on monkeyin' 'round here, friend-boy, you gon' get your business all in a trick I'm cryin' baby, honey, don't you want to go Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago Now six and two is eight, eight and two is ten Friend-boy, she trick you one time, she sure gon' do it again I'm cryin' hey, hey, baby, don't you want to go To the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago I'm goin' to California, from there to Des Moines, Iowa Somebody will tell me that you need my help someday Cryin' hey, hey, baby, don't you want to go Back to the land of California, to my sweet home Chicago
Recorded in Dallas, Texas on 20 June 1937.
If your man gets personal, want to have your fun If your man gets personal, want to have your fun Just come on back to Friar's Point, mama, and barrelhouse all night long I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennessee I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennessee But my Friar's Point rider, now, hops all over me I ain't gon' to state no color, but her front teeth is crowned with gold I ain't gon' to state no color, but her front teeth is crowned with gold She got a mortgage on my body, now, lien on my soul Lord, I'm goin' to Rosedale, gon' take my rider by my side Lord, I'm goin' to Rosedale, gon' take my rider by my side We can still barrelhouse, baby, 'cause it's on the river side Now you can squeeze my lemon till the juice run down my... (Spoken: till the juice run down my leg, baby, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout) You can squeeze my lemon till the juice run down my leg (that’s what I’m talkin’ about now) But I'm goin' back to Friar's Point, if I be rockin' to my head
A traditional blues classic, that Robert Johnson recorded during his session on November 27, 1936 in San Antonio.
I woke up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes Know by that I got these old walkin' blues, well Woke this mornin' feelin’ round for my shoes But you know by that, I got these old walkin' blues Lord I feel like blowin’ my old lonesome horn Got up this mornin’, my little Bernice was gone, Lord I feel like blowin’ my lonesome horn Well I got up this mornin’, whoa all I had was gone Well, leave this mornin' if I have to, ride the blinds I feel mistreated, and I don't mind dyin' Leavin’ this mornin', if I have to ride the blind Babe, I’ve been mistreated, baby and I don't mind dyin' Well, some people tell me that the worried blues ain't bad Worst old feelin' I most ever had Some people tell me that these old worried old blues ain't bad It's the worst old feelin', I most ever had She’s got a elgin movement from her head down to her toes Break in on a dollar most anywhere she goes Ooh, from her head down to her toes Lord, she break in on a dollar, most anywhere she goes
Recorded November 23, 1936 in San Antonio, Texas (one of two takes, none of which was issued on 78 rpm at the time)
When you got a good friend, that will stay right by your side (2x) Give her all of your spare time, try to love and treat her right I mistreated my baby, but I can’t see no reason why (2x) Anytime I think about it, I just wring my hands and cry Wonder, could I bear apologize, or would she sympathize with me Mmm, or would she sympathize with me She's a brownskin woman, just as sweet as a girlfriend can be Mmm, baby I may be right or wrong Baby, it your opinion, I may be right or wrong Watch your close friend, baby, then you enemies can't do you no harm When you got a good friend that will stay right by your side (2x) Give her all of your spare time, love and treat her right
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