STOP ALL THE BUSES is a variant of an older song recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson (and some others). Alan Lomax recognized this and said so in his notes, although he didn't give the title. It wasn't hard to track down, and it was much easier to transcribe, so I'll give it first:


BLUES ABOUT MY BABY
As recorded by Sonny Boy Williamson on RCA Victor 22-0001 (a 78-rpm single), 1949.

1. Baby, stop your fooling,
And stop doing me wrong.
Stop your fast way of living.
Bring your clothes back home.

CHORUS: 'Cause I've got the blues about my baby.
I know my baby got the blues about me.
Now if you ain't gonna treat me no better,
Why in the world don't you let me be?

2. You know, I've had trouble so long
Until the trouble don't worry me.
You know being in the jailhouse
Is just like being on the job of ease.

3. I'm gonna stop the New York Central.
I'm gonna stop all buses on line.
I'm gonna stop the streetcar; don't move a thing
Till I find that little gal of mine.

4. I'll get a … way 'cross the country
Where there ain't nobody else around.
That must-a be my baby
She must-a be trying to put me down.


[There were two different artists who used the name Sonny Boy Williamson. The second one assumed the name after the first one died. I don't have the dates of their careers at hand, but I'm sure they would be easy to look up, if you want to know which one this is.]