ROBERTA
Lyrics: Leadbelly
Music: Leadbelly
The Dead played this a couple of times in 1970, but I don't have a tape. The Leadbelly version goes like this:
Oh Roberta, where you been so long
Oh Roberta, where you been so long
I ain't had no loving since you've been gone
Oh Roberta, sit down on my knee
Oh Roberta, sit down on my knee
I got a lot to tell you that's been worrying me
Way up the river, far as I can see
Way up the river, far as I can see
I thought I spied my old time used to be
And it was not nothing, honey but the side of a tree
Well I'm down on the river, sitting on the ground
Well I'm down on the river, sitting on the ground
Gonna stay right here Lord, until Roberta come down
Roberta, Roberta, where you been so long
Roberta, Roberta, where you been so long
Cross country, with my [?long cold lawn]
There is also a Furry Lewis version with slightly different lyrics:
Tell me Roberta, where you been so long
Tell me Roberta, where you been so long
I ain't had no loving since you've been gone
I see Roberta cross the sea
I see Roberta cross the sea
She didn't write me no letter, she didn't care for me
Tell me Roberta, what you gonna do
Tell me Roberta, what you gonna do
Just a little bit of loving let your heart be true
Roberta, Roberta, you on my mind
Roberta, Roberta, you on my mind
If you cry by the nickel you die by the dime
Roberta left yesterday and I'm going today
Roberta left yesterday and I'm going today
I'm getting tired of your low-down ways