This is Mance Lipscomb's version of East St Louis Blues
^^
Out and Down - Mance Lipscomb

On my way to East Saint Louis
Didn have but one thin dime,
Didn have but one thin dime,
Didn have but one thin dime.

Before I would spend it, fur my own use,
Save it fur the lady friend a mine,
Save it fur the lady friend a mine,
Save it fur the lady friend a mine.

All I want, in this wide world,
Is a brand new duckin suit.
Is a brand new duckin suit.
My baby says she'd take me back.

Standin on the Karo [Cairo, Illinois] street one day
When a freight train, came passin by,
Freight train come apassin by,
Freight train come apassin by.

Waved my hand at the girl I love,
Hung down my head an I cried,
Hung down my head an I cried,
Hung down my head an I cried.

Cried, "All I got is done gone"
All I got is done gone,
All I got is done gone.
Sumpm keep atellin me, I wont be round here long.

Aint nothin I brought in this wide world,
Aint nothin I'm goin carry away,
Aint nothin I'm goin carry away,
Nothin I'm gonna carry way.

Follad my woman to the buryin ground,
Down to the buryin ground,
Down to the buryin ground,
Watcht the pallbarriers slow let her down.

Now I'm lookin down in my baby's face,
I'm lookin at my baby's face,
Now I'm lookin down in my baby's face.
"I love you baby, I caint take yo place."

Mmmm, have mercy,
Lawd, have mercy on me,
Aw Lawd, have mercy on me,
Oh, oh, have mercy, on me.


I've reproduced these lyrics from Alyn (1994)I Say Me for a Parable: the Oral Autobiography of Mance Lipscomb, Texas Bluesman New York: Da Capo Press pp.190 - 191.