One problem with Michael Taft's blues lyrics book, Talkin' to Myself, is that the book is indexed only by the performer. There is no title index. There is an online concordance that helped me find two versions, but I can't make it identify the sources of the two versions. Anyhow, here they are: I went to the race track : my man *on derby* won Give the money to another gal : and wouldn't give me none You don't know : you don't know my mind When you see me laughing : laughing to keep from crying I said now papa : can you stand to see me cry He said yes woman : I could stand to see you die Fed my daddy : with plenty of jellyroll Pull the shoes off my feet : let me out in the cold
Going down to the river : take a rope and a rock Tie it around my neck : and jump off the dock Ain't no one : can change my mind I've been mistreated : and I don't mind dying Going to get me some poison : kill myself Because the man I love : has put me on the shelf If he didn't want me : he didn't have to lie The day I see him : that's the day he'll die Baby : you don't know my mind When you see me laughing : I'm laughing just to keep from crying A crooked man's worse : than crooked dice With dice you lose your money : with your man you lose your life I'm going to get me a razor : and a gun Cut him if he stands still : shoot him if he runs
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