HE'S LONG GONE FROM BOWLING GREEN
As recorded by Buck & Bubbles* & Their Buckets, ca. 1930-34; on "Stars of the Apollo" (1972)

SPOKEN PATTER:
A: Man, I sure can run, can't I?
B: You sure can!
A: You see me runnin'?
B: Boy, you....
A: Man, I can pick 'em up an' lay 'em down.
B: You tellin' me. What was you runnin' up the street for, this mornin' when I see'd you?
A: Oh, you see'd me there?
B: Yeah, I see'd ya. What was you runnin' 'bout?
A: Oh, I's just runnin' to stop a fight.
B: Yeah? Who was fightin'?
A: Me and another fella.
B: Yeah, well, what you want to run for?
A: Is you crazy?
B: What?
A: You don't think my legs is gonna stand around and see my body abused, do ya?
B: Yeah, but why didn't you stay there?
A: Now that's another thing. My father told me, whenever anybody was gonna hit me, for me to leave there.

CHORUS: Did you see? I was long gone from Kentucky,
Long gone; wasn't I lucky?
Long gone, and what I mean,
I was long gone, son; I was headin' for Bowlin' Green.

1. There was a doctor by the name of Peck.
Now, he fell in a well and broke his neck.
Well, it served him right, 'cause he should 'a' stayed at home,
Yeah, and attend to the sick, and let the well alone.

CHORUS: Now look at him: he's long gone from Kentucky.
Yeah, he's long gone; I guess he's lucky.
Long gone, and what I mean,
That's another dead doctor headed for Bowlin' Green.

2. A fly flew into a grocery store.
He flew right in the transom—you know that little hole above the door?
Yeah, he lit on the sugar, and then he lit on the ham.
You know, he had the nerve enough to wipe his feet on the grocery man.

CHORUS: Now he's long gone from Kentucky.
Long gone now; don't you think he's lucky?
Long gone, and what I mean,
Just a long-gone fly that will never be seen.

3. Now another thing: when I was born, you know, my father bet.
He said: "Looky here, mom," to my mother he said, "That boy gonna be black as jet."
My mother said, "No, dad, he'll be as white as a lamb."
And when they looked at me, huh! They say: "I'll be damned!"

CHORUS: I'm long gone from old Kentucky.
I'm long gone, but I really am lucky.
I'm long gone, and what I mean,
I'm long-gone Johnny, headin' for Bowlin' Green.

CHORUS: 'Cause I'm long gone from old Kentucky.
I'm long gone; ain't I lucky?
I'm gone; I'm gone; oh, yes, I'm gone.
I'm long gone, long-gone Johnny from Bowlin' Green.


* Ford Lee "Buck" Washington (? -1955) and John William Sublette a.k.a John Bubbles (1902-1986).