The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #46314   Message #688852
Posted By: Jim Dixon
12-Apr-02 - 07:28 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: 16 Coal Black Horses, a funeral dirge
Subject: Lyr Add: ST. JAMES INFIRMARY
Since this version doesn't seem to be in DigiTrad or the Forum, I might as well put it here:
Copied from http://www.bluesforpeace.com/lyrics/st-james-infirmary.htm

ST. JAMES INFIRMARY
(Janis Joplin / Joe Turner)

I went down to old Joe's bar room, on the corner by the square.
Well, the drinks were bein' served as usual, and this motley crowd was there.

Well, on my left stood Joe McKennedy, and his eyes were bloodshot red.
When he told me that sad story, these were the words he said:

I went down to the St. James Infirmary. I saw my baby there.
She was stretched out on a long white table, so cold, and fine, and fair.
Go ahead!

Let her go. Let her go. God bless her, wherever she may be.
She can search this world over, never find another man like me.

Yes, sixteen coal-black horses to pull that rubber-tired hack.
Well, it's seventeen miles to the graveyard, but my baby's never comin' back.

Well, now you've heard my story. Well, have another round of booze.
And if anyone should ever, ever ask you, I've got the St. James Infirmary blues!

[p.s. There's another version of St. James Infirmary in DT that doesn't mention the horses. It also has the first 4 verses in a strange order. The version given above is closer to what I've always heard. --JD]