Albert,

Thanks for the corrections. I found out later that the circus was 'Barnum and Bailey', but never got around to correcting it.

Paul Oliver has a PART transcription at pp 127-128 of his 'Songsters and Saints'. I didn't have that at the time of my transcription. He agrees with you that the refrain is 'I sniffed a while upon my good cocaine'. I think 'I'm simply wild' was more common in later versions and I probably heard what I wanted to hear - though it does sound very like it, particularly in the very last occurrence.

In the 'what in the world' stanza, Oliver has 'If you got no dough, certain for sho' he certainly won't back your plan'. That makes more sense. It should be an 'ugly' plant, not an 'earthly' plant.

I reckon you are right about 'breaks the law', albeit Oliver has 'brings lard' in both lines.

Below is a transcription that incorporates corrections from you and from Oliver's part transcription. What do you reckon?

I think it is pretty close now, but for that line in the curious 'baby' stanza. The indecipherable bit could be something like you suggest, but I hear a 'smell/sell no more' in there.

I haven't had a lash at transcribing 'Church Bell Blues'. I don't think I even have a copy now - I used to have it on an cassette compilation that is long gone.

COCAINE BLUES
(Luke Jordan)

Ah go on, gal, don't you take me for no fool
I'm not gonna quit you, pretty mama, while the weather's cool
Around your back door, said honey, I'm gonna creep
As long as you make those two and a half a week

Now I got a girl, she works in the white folk's yard
She brings me meal, I can swear she breaks the law
She brings me meat, she brings me lard
She bring me everything, I swear, that she can steal

Now Barnum & Bailey circus came to town, they had an elephant looking good and brown
They did not know it was against the law for the monk(s) to stop at a fine drugstore
Just around the corner, just a minute too late, another one's standin' at the big back gate
I sniffed a while upon my good cocaine

I call(ed) my Cora, hey hey,
She come on sniffin' with her nose all sore, the doctor swore gonna sell no more
Sayin', run doctor, ring the bell, the women in the alley
I sniffed a while upon my good cocaine

Now that furniture man came to my house, it was last Sunday morn
He asked me was my wife at home and I told him she had long gone
He backed his wagon up to my door, took everything I had
He carried it back to the furniture store and I swear I did feel sad

What in the world has anyone got for dealing with the furniture man
If you got no dough, (it's) certain for sho' he certainly won't back your plan
He will take everything from an ugly plant, from a skillet to a frying pan
If it ever was a devil born without any horns, it must have been the furniture man

I called my Cora, hey hey,
She come on sniffin' with her nose all sore, doctor swore gonna sell no more
Sayin' coke's for horses, not women nor men
The doctor said it'd kill you, but he didn't say when
I sniffed a while upon my good cocaine

Now the baby's in the cradle in New Orleans, he kept a-whiffin' till it got so mean
He kept a-whiffin had to fix it so (indecipherable) [the judge would laugh at her and sell her more?]
Saying, run doctor, ring the bell, the women in the alley
I sniffed a while upon my good cocaine

I called my Cora, hey hey
She come on sniffin' with her nose all sore, the doctor swore (she's) gonna smell no more
Sayin', run doctor, ring the bell, the women in the alley
I sniffed a while upon my good cocaine

Regards, Stewie.