The Basement Tapes

(r. danko and j.r. robertson)


Bessie was more than just a friend of mine
We shared the good times with the bad
Now many a year has passed me by
I still recall the best thing i ever had

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

Now all the crazy things i had to try
Well i tried them all and then some
But if you're lucky one day you find out
Where it is you're really comin' from

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

Now in my day i've made some foolish moves
But back then, i didn't worry 'bout a thing
And now again i still wonder to myself
Was it her sweet love or the way that she could sing

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

There's so much time has gone right on by
I didn't think one could be so wrong
And then one night i was drinkin' and a-thinkin'
In the bottom of the glass i could see bessie's face so strong

I'm just goin' down the road t' see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin' down the road t' see bessie smith
When i get there i wonder what she'll do

When she sees me will she know what i've been through?
Will old times start to feelin' like new?
When i get there will our love still feel so true?
Yet all i have, i'll be a-bringin' it to you
Oh bessie, sing them old-time blues

Clouds so swift
Rain won't lift
Gate won't close
Railings froze
Get your mind off wintertime
You ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-ee! ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

I don't care
How many letters they sent
Morning came and morning went
Pick up your money
And pack up your tent
You ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-ee! ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

Buy me a flute
And a gun that shoots
Tailgates and substitutes
Strap yourself
To the tree with roots
You ain't goin' nowhere
Whoo-ee! ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!


Genghis khan
He could not keep
All his kings
Supplied with sleep
We'll climb that hill no matter how steep
When we get up to it
Whoo-ee! ride me high
Tomorrow's the day
My bride's gonna come
Oh, oh, are we gonna fly
Down in the easy chair!

(by j. r. robertson and r. manuel)

Katie's been gone since the spring time;
She wrote one time'n sent her love.
Katie's been gone for such a long time now.
I wonder what kind of love she's thinkin' of.

Dear katie,
If you can hear me,
I can't wait to have ya near me.

Oh, katie, since ya caught that bus,
Well, i just don't know how things are with us.
I'm still here and you're out there.

Katie laughed when i said i was lonely.
She said, there's no need t'feel that way.
Katie said that i was her only one,
But then i wonder why she didn't wanna stay.

Dear katie, if i'm the only one,
How much longer will you be gone?
Oh, katie, won't ya tell me straight:
How much longer do i have to wait?

I'll believe you,
But please come through.
I know it's wrong to be apart this long;
You should be here, near me.

Katie's been gone and now her face is slowly fading from my mind.
She's gone to find some newer places,
Left the old life far behind.
Dear katie, dont ya miss your home?
I dont see why you had to roam.

Dear katie, since you've been away
I lose a little something every day
I need you here, but you're still out there.
Dear katie, please drop me a line,
Just write, love, to tell me you're fine.

Oh, katie, if you can hear me,
I just cant wait to have you near me.
I can only think
Where are you,
What ya do, may be there's someone new.

Well you can tell ev'rybody
Down in ol' frisco
Tell 'em
Tiny montgomery says hello

Now ev'ry boy and girl's
Gonna get their bang
'cause tiny montgomery's
Gonna shake that thing
Tell ev'rybody
Down in ol' frisco
That tiny montgomery's comin'
Down to say hello

Skinny moo and
Half-track frank
They're gonna both be gettin'
Outa the tank
One bird book
And a buzzard and a crow
Tell 'em all
That tiny's gonna say hello

Scratch your dad
Do that bird
Suck that pig
And bring it on home
Pick that drip
And bake that dough
Tell 'em all
That tiny says hello

Now he's king of the drunks
An' he squeezes, too
Watch out, lester
Take it, lou
Join the monks
The c.i.o.
Tell 'em all
That tiny montgomery says hello

Now grease that pig
And sing praise
Go on out
And gas that dog
Trick on in
Honk that stink
Take it on down
And watch it grow
Play it low
And pick it up
Take it on in
In a plucking cup
Three-legged man
And a hot-lipped hoe
Tell 'em all
Montgomery says hello

Well you can tell ev'rybody
Down in ol' frisco
Tell 'em all
Montgomery says hello

(by richard manuel.)

I had a hard time waking this morning
I got a lotta things on my mind
Like those friends of yours
They keep bringing me down
Just hangin' round all the time

I've had a hard time waking most mornings
And it's been that way for a month or more
You've had things your way
But now i've got to say
I'm on my way out the door

Chorus:
Why don't you get right, try to get right, baby
You haven't been right with me, why don't you get right?
Try and get right, baby, don't you remember how it used to be?

You had a hard time waking this morning
And i can see it in your empty eyes
But there's no need for talking
Or walking round the block
Just to figure out the reason why

I have a hard time handing out warnings
I'll just slide on out the door
Cuz i'm tired of everything
Being beautiful, beautiful
And i ain't coming back no more

Well, the comic book and me, just us, we caught the bus.
The poor little chauffeur, though, she was back in bed
On the very next day, with a nose full of pus.
Yea! heavy and a bottle of bread
Yea! heavy and a bottle of bread
Yea! heavy and a bottle of bread

It's a one-track town, just brown, and a breeze, too,
Pack up the meat, sweet, we're headin' out
For wichita in a pile of fruit.
Get the loot, don't be slow, we're gonna catch a trout
Get the loot, don't be slow, we're gonna catch a trout
Get the loot, don't be slow, we're gonna catch a trout

Now, pull that drummer out from behind that bottle.
Bring me my pipe, we're gonna shake it.
Slap that drummer with a pie that smells.
Take me down to california, baby
Take me down to california, baby
Take me down to california, baby

Yes, the comic book and me, just us, we caught the bus.
The poor little chauffeur, though, she was back in bed
On the very next day, with a nose full of pus.
Yea! heavy and a bottle of bread
Yea! heavy and a bottle of bread
Yea! heavy and a bottle of bread

I'm going down to rose marie's
She never does me wrong.
She puts it to me plain as day
And gives it to me for a song.

It's a wicked life but what the hell
The stars ain't falling down.
I'm standing outside the taj mahal
I don't see no one around.

Goin' to acapulco
Goin' on the run.
Goin' down to see fat gut
Goin' to have some fun.
Yeah goin' to have some fun.

Now, whenever i get up
And i ain't got what i see
I just make it down to rose marie's
'bout a quarter after three.

There are worse ways of getting there
And i ain't complainin' none.
If the clouds don't drop and the train don't stop
I'm bound to meet the sun.

Goin' to acapulco
Goin' on the run.
Goin' down to see some girl
Goin' to have some fun.
Yeah goin' to have some fun.

Now, if someone offers me a joke
I just say no thanks.
I try to tell it like it is
And keep away from pranks.

Well, sometime you know when the well breaks down
I just go pump on it some.
Rose marie, she likes to go to big places
And just set there waitin' for me to come.

Goin' to acapulco
Goin' on the run.
Goin' down to see some girl
Goin' to have some fun.
Yeah goin' to have some fun.

I plan it all and i take my place
You break your promise all over the place
You promised to love me, but what do i see
Just you comin' and spillin' juice over me
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again

Now, you take your file and you bend my head
I never can remember anything that you said
You promised to love me, but what do i know
You're always spillin' juice on me like you got someplace to go
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again

Now, i've had enough, my box is clean
You know what i'm sayin' and you know what i mean
From now on you'd best get on someone else
While you're doin' it, keep that juice to yourself
Odds and ends, odds and ends
Lost time is not found again

If your mem'ry serves you well,
We were goin' to meet again and wait,
So i'm goin' to unpack all my things
And sit before it gets too late.
No man alive will come to you
With another tale to tell,
But you know that we shall meet again
If your mem'ry serves you well.
This wheel's on fire,
Rolling down the road,
Best notify my next of kin,
This wheel shall explode!

If your mem'ry serves you well,
I was goin' to confiscate your lace,
And wrap it up in a sailor's knot
And hide it in your case.
If i knew for sure that it was yours . . .
But it was oh so hard to tell.
But you knew that we would meet again,
If your mem'ry serves you well.
This wheel's on fire,
Rolling down the road,
Best notify my next of kin,
This wheel shall explode!

If your mem'ry serves you well,
You'll remember you're the one
That called on me to call on them
To get you your favors done.
And after ev'ry plan had failed
And there was nothing more to tell,
You knew that we would meet again,
If your mem'ry served you well.
This wheel's on fire,
Rolling down the road,
Best notify my next of kin,
This wheel shall explode

Nothing was delivered
And i tell this truth to you,
Not out of spite or anger
But simply because it's true.
Now, i hope you won't object to this,
Giving back all of what you owe,
The fewer words you have to waste on this,
The sooner you can go.

Nothing is better, nothing is best,
Take heed of this and get plenty of rest.

Nothing was delivered
But i can't say i sympathize
With what your fate is going to be,
Yes, for telling all those lies.
Now you must provide some answers
For what you sell has not been received,
And the sooner you come up with them,
The sooner you can leave.

Nothing is better, nothing is best,
Take heed of this and get plenty rest.

(now you know)
Nothing was delivered
And it's up to you to say
Just what you had in mind
When you made ev'rybody pay.
No, nothing was delivered,
Yes, 'n' someone must explain
That as long as it takes to do this
Then that's how long that you'll remain.

Nothing is better, nothing is best,
Take heed of this and get plenty rest.

After a while we took in the clothes,
Nobody said very much.
Just some old wild shirts and a couple pairs of pants
Which nobody really wanted to touch.
Mama come in and picked up a book
An' papa asked her what it was.
Someone else asked, "what do you care?"
Papa said, "well, just because."
Then they started to take back their clothes,
Hang 'em on the line.
It was january the thirtieth
And everybody was feelin' fine.

The next day everybody got up
Seein' if the clothes were dry.
The dogs were barking, a neighbor passed,
Mama, of course, she said, "hi!"
"have you heard the news?" he said, with a grin,
"the vice-president's gone mad!"
"where?" "downtown." "when?" "last night."
"hmm, say, that's too bad!"
"well, there's nothin' we can do about it," said the neighbor,
"it's just somethin' we're gonna have to forget."
"yes, i guess so," said ma,
Then she asked me if the clothes was still wet.

I reached up, touched my shirt,
And the neighbor said, "are those clothes yours?"
I said, "some of 'em, not all of 'em."
He said, "ya always help out around here with the chores?"
I said, "sometime, not all the time."
Then my neighbor, he blew his nose
Just as papa yelled outside,
"mama wants you t' come back in the house and bring them clothes."
Well, i just do what i'm told,
So, i did it, of course.
I went back in the house and mama met me
And then i shut all the doors.

I pulled out for san anton',
I never felt so good.
My woman said she'd meet me there
And of course, i knew she would.
The coachman, he hit me for my hook
And he asked me my name.
I give it to him right away,
Then i hung my head in shame.
Lo and behold! lo and behold!
Lookin' for my lo and behold,
Get me outa here, my dear man!

I come into pittsburgh
At six-thirty flat.
I found myself a vacant seat
An' i put down my hat.
"what's the matter, molly, dear,
What's the matter with your mound?"
"what's it to ya, moby dick?
This is chicken town!"
Lo and behold! lo and behold!
Lookin' for my lo and behold,
Get me outa here, my dear man!

I bought my girl
A herd of moose,
One she could call her own.
Well, she came out the very next day
To see where they had flown.
I'm goin' down to tennessee,
Get me a truck 'r somethin'.
Gonna save my money and rip it up!
Lo and behold! lo and behold!
Lookin' for my lo and behold,
Get me outa here, my dear man!

Now, i come in on a ferris wheel
An' boys, i sure was slick.
I come in like a ton of bricks,
Laid a few tricks on 'em.
Goin' back to pittsburgh,
Count up to thirty,
Round that horn and ride that herd,
Gonna thread up!
Lo and behold! lo and behold!
Lookin' for my lo and behold,
Get me outa here, my dear man!