LONESOME ALIMONY BLUES
Words by William G. Tracey, music by James F Hanley, 1920, from Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic.
As recorded by Bert Williams, 1920.

Listen, brother if you are married,
And have a wife who's sweet and kind,
You just keep away from temptation.
Let no other gal worry your mind,
'Cause if you do,
Oh, the judge is gonna get to you.

Never carry letters round you,
'Cause all your secrets they do tell.
And when your wifey sees, your freedom you'll lose,
Settin' in a jailhouse cell.
Though the sun comes down on everyone,
It never comes on you.
Outside you hear the people walkin';
You hear the people talkin'.
There's no one for you to talk to.
No use askin' what the time is.
You ain't got no place to go.
You needn't even bother 'bout gettin' shade,
'Cause no one's gonna see your face.
You ain't heard nothin' yet, brother.
You ain't even got a cigarette.
You're readin' papers six months old, can't get no news,
So I repeat:
Do you hear me?
So I'm gonna repeat:
Don't cheat your wife.
Try and live a happy married life,
Or else you'll find yourself with those lonesome alimony blues.

So I repeat: don't cheat your wife.
Live a happy married life,
Or else you'll find yourself with those lonesome alimony blues.