You can hear this recording at YouTube. This is my transcription:


CROW JANE
As sung by Skip James

Crow Jane, Crow Jane, Crow Jane, don't you hold your head high.
Someday, baby, you know you got to die.
You got to lay down an'—
You got to die. You got to—

You know I had to buy me a pistol; bought me forty rounds o' ball.
Shoot Crow Jane just to see her fall.
She got to fall. She got to—
Got to fall. She got to—

That's the reason I beg' Crow Jane not to hold her head so high.
Someday, baby, you know you got to die.
You got to lay down an'—

When I dug her grave wit' a silver spade,
Ain't nobody gon' take my Crow Jane' place.
You can't take her place.
No, you can't take her—

That's the reason I beg' Crow Jane not to hold her head too high.
Someday, baby, you know you got to die.
You got to lay down an'—

You know I let her down wit' a golden chain,
An' every link I would call my Crow Jane' name.
Crow Jane, Crow—
Crow Jane, Crow—

You know I never miss' my water till my well went dry.
Didn't miss Crow Jane until the day she die.
Till the day she—

That's the reason I beg' Crow Jane not to hold her head too high.
Someday, baby, you know you got to die.
You got to lay down an'—
You got to die. You got to—

You know I dug her grave eight feet in the ground.
Didn't feel sorry until they let her down.
They had to let her down, let her—
They had to let her down.

That's the reason I beg' Crow Jane not to hold her head too high.
Someday, baby, you know you got to die.
You got to lay down an'—