This arrangement is more clearly in the western swing style.


COCAINE BLUES
As recorded by Billy Hughes on King 636A, 1947.

Comin' home from work in that old Tulsa town,
Caught my baby triflin' and I shot her down.
I went to bed but I rolled all night.
I knew I had to beat it before daylight.

'Bout four o'clock someone knocked on my door.
I grabbed my pistol and I fell on the floor.
I heard a man callin' my baby's name.
I opened up the door and I blew out his brain.

When I realized the thing I had done,
I grabbed my hypodermic and I made my run.
I made a good start but I ran too slow.
They got me in a dive down in El Paso.

I'm sittin' at a table a-blowin' a stick.
A plainclothes grabbed me and he got me quick.
"Now don't try to tell us your name is Brown.
You're the Cocaine Kid that shot your woman down."

I knew they had me solid with no alibi.
It wouldn't help me any if I told a lie.
I said: "I'm the kid and I'm beat, you see,
So if you've got a warrant, just read it to me."

He said: "You shot your woman and a rounder too.
They might have had it comin' but it's bad for you."
Well, I said, "I'm no angel and I'm full of sin,
But under those conditions I would do it again."

When I was arrested I was dressed in blue.
They handcuffed me and throwed me on an old choo-choo.
I didn't have a nickel, couldn't make the bail,
So they shook me down and throwed me in that old dirty jail.

Jury walked out and then they walked back in.
The foreman held the verdict in his right hand.
Ninety-nine years way down in Mac*
Made me regret the night I wouldn't take her back.

Now listen, all you dopers; take my advice:
Don't ever use a needle any more than twice,
For you'll become an addict and blow your lid.
Take a look at what it did to the Cocaine Kid.

[* Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, OK.]