MEAT MAN PETE
As recorded by Monette Moore, 1924.

Did you ever hear 'bout Pete?
Just Pete, plain Pete.
He had a market down the street.
Pete was a dealer in meat.
Ask anybody you meet
About Pete, and they'll repeat:
His ways are sure a mess,
But his meat is always fresh.

[§] All the butchers, how they envy Pete,
'Cause ev'rybody's crazy about his meat.
They hang around his store
And gang right in his door.
One thing sure: I know that Pete don't cheat.

People come from down in Alabam'
'Cause they've heard about his boneless ham.
They never get enough
Because his meat ain't tough,
And ev'rybody's crazy about his meat. [§§]

Once he was dealin' in wood,
And bus'ness wasn't so good,
And he started dealin' in ice,
But things didn't turn out nice,
So he took it in his head,
Commenced sellin' bread,
But bus'ness was complete
When he started dealin' in meat.

[REPEAT FROM § TO §§.]

[Barbecue Bob (1928) and Vance Dixon (1931) each made recordings that seem to be derived from this version.]