FARE THEE WELL DEACON JONES
As recorded by Lucky Millinder and His Orchestra

Gather round me, children, while I tell the news.
Hates to tell you 'bout it 'cause I gets the blues.
No one saw the thing that happened but my wife,
But you can bet she saw the deacon when he lost his life.

Fare thee well; Deacon Jones has passed away. (Fare thee well.)
Fare thee well; Deacon Jones has passed away. (Fare thee well.)
Elder Brown, go ring the bell.
Deacon Jones fell in the well.
Fare thee well; Deacon Jones has passed away. (Fare thee well.)

Go and tell Deacon Jones fell in the well (in the well).
Go and tell Deacon Jones fell in the well (in the well).
He was down there drinkin' juice
When the bucket it broke loose.
Fare thee well, Deacon Jones; fare thee well.

You will find Deacon Jones down in the well, in the well.
You will find Deacon Jones down in the well, in the well.
He fell in last night at nine
And his dice jumped in behind.
Fare thee well, Deacon Jones; fare thee well; fare thee well.

Listen, brother Sammy, did you bring your horn?
'Course you got to serenade us while we mourn.
Ev'rybody, bow your heads and start to pray.
Brother Sammy's gonna blow it till the judgment day.

We took the congregation, led 'em to the well,
Led 'em to to the spot where the deacon fell.
The deacon stuck his head from a tree up high,
Said, "I would 'a' been dead but the well was dry."