Lyr. Add: RUN, JOE
Words and music by Dr. George Merrick,
Joe Willoughby and Louis Jordan.

Moe and Joe had a candy store,
Telling fortunes behind the door.
Cop grab Moe and as Joe ran out,
Brother Moe then began to shout:

Chorus:-
Run Joe
Man at the door,
Run Joe
De man won't let me go
Run Joe
Run as fast as you can
Run Joe
Police holding my hand.

2
Ask Juanita to stand me bail;
I don't want too sleep in de jail.
Hide de crystal ball by the fence;
So they won't find no evidence.
3
When you reach home, get into bed;
Call a doctor and tie your head.
Let Juanita invent a lie;
Got to have a good alibi.
4
Get a mouthpiece to talk for me;
They'll surely give me the third degree.
When they take me before the sarge;
I'm going to deny the charge.
5
When de Judge ask me how I plea,
"Not guilty, Sir!" most decidedly.
You can see Judge at a glance
I'm a victim of circumstance.
6
I'll be home by de break of day
If de Judge believe what I say.
If he don't, I'll be looking cute
Behind de bars wid me striped suit.
7
Me mama told me not long ago
To keep 'way from that worthless Joe.
If I heard what me mama say
I wouldn't be in this mess today.

"Copyright 1948 by Cherio Music Company...New York.... Used by permission."

This calypso is widely sung. Blind Blake from the Bahamas recorded the song. Joe Willoughby, one of the writers of the song, was born in Trinidad and Dr. Walt Merrick had many connections there.

Pp. 176-177, musical score with chords.
Jim Morse, Coll., 1958, Folk Songs of the Caribbean, Bantam Books.