The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #8704   Message #2190900
Posted By: Jim Dixon
10-Nov-07 - 10:22 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Coal Man Blues (Peg Leg Howell)
Subject: Lyr Add: COAL MAN BLUES (Peg Leg Howell)
Copied from the web site for which 12-stringer posted the link above:

COAL MAN BLUES

Woke up this morning 'bout five o'clock,
Got me some eggs and a nice pork chop,
Cheap cigar and a magazine,
Had to run pretty fast to catch the 5:15.

Let me tell you something that I seen:
Coal man got run over by the 5:15.
Cut off his arms and it crushed his ribs.
Did the poor man die? No, the poor man lived.

Let me tell you something that I know:
Coal man got run over by the 5:44.
Cut off his arms and it crushed his head.
Did the poor man die? No, the poor man's dead.

Hard coal, stovewood, ma'am,
Hard coal and your stovewood, ma'am.
I ain't got but a little bit left.
If you don't come get it, gonna burn it myself.

Just the wood in the stove and the match in your hand,
Wood in the stove and the match in your hand,
Wood in the stove and the match in your hand,
You run to the door and stop to tell the coal man.

Sell it to the rich and I sell it to the poor.
Sell it to the rich and I sell it to the poor.
Sell it to the rich and I sell it to the poor.
I sell it to the nice brown a-standing in the door.

Furnish your wood, furnish your coal,
Furnish your wood and I furnish your coal,
Furnish your wood and I furnish your coal,
Make you love me, doggone your soul.

I've got your water, got your gas.
Got your water and got your gas.
Got your water and I've got your gas.
You cheat me, mama, says, "That's your last." (?)

Let me tell you, mama, what's the matter now.
Let me tell you, mama, what's the matter now.
Let me tell you, mama, what's the matter now.
You don't want me, take me anyhow.

Sweet mama, sweet mama, what's on your mind?
Mama, sweet mama, what's on your mind?
Mama, sweet mama, what's on your mind?
Says, "You can't quit me, no need of tryin'."

I'm goin' up the country. Don't you want to go?
Goin' up the country. Don't you want to go?
Goin' up the country. Don't you want to go?
Leaving here, ain't coming back no more.

Me and my rider and two or three more,
Me and my rider and two or three more,
Me and my rider and two or three more,
We're goin' up the country. Don't you want to go?

Went down the road, feelin' bad.
Went down the road, mama, feelin' bad.
Went down the road, mama, feelin' bad.
I feel so worried that I ever had.

Me and my [instrumental tag]
Me and my mama and two or three more,
Me and my brown, two or three more,
Goin' up the country. Don't you want to go?

Goin' away and it won't be long.
Goin' away and it won't be long.
Goin' away and it won't be long.
Don't believe I'm leavin', count the days I'm gone.