Kicking Against The Pricks

(j. bundrick)

Mary, grab the baby, the river's rising
Muddy water taking back the land
The old-frame house, she can't take-a one more beating
Ain't no use to stay and make a stand


Well the morning light shows water in the valley
Daddy's grave just went below the line
Things to say, you just can't take em with ya
This flood will swallow all you've left behind


Won't be back to start all over
Cause what i felt before is gone


Mary, take the child, the river's rising
Muddy water taking back my home
The road is gone, there's just one way to leave here
Turn my back on what i've left below
Shifting land, broken farms around me
Muddy water's changing all i know


It's hard to say just what i'm losing
Ain't never felt so all alone


Mary, take the child, the river's rising
Muddy water taking back my home


Won't be back to start all over
Cause what i felt before is gone


Mary, take the child, the river's rising
Muddy water's changing all i know
Muddy water's changing all i know
Lord, this muddy water is taking back my home

(d. del, m. wilkins)

She walks these hills in a long black veil
She visits my grave when the night winds wail
Nobody knows, nobody sees
Nobody knows but me


Ten years ago, on a cold dark night
Someone was killed 'neath the town hall light
There were few at the scene, but they all agreed
That the slayer who ran looked a lot like me


The judge he said: son, what is your alibi
If you were somewhere else, then you won't have to die
But i spoke not a word though it meant my life
For i'd been in the arms of my best friends wife


Now the scaffold is high and eternity is near
She stood in the crowd but shed not a tear
But sometimes at night when the cold winds moan
In a long black veil she cries on my bones

(leadbelly)
A traditional version is also available.

Look-a look-a yonder (3x)
Well the sun done gone


The captain can't hold her (3x)
The way i do now


Ada got a gold mine (3x)
Way above her knees


The shiv (?) is golden (3x)
Above her knees


Look-a look-a yonder (3x)
Well the sun done gone


Wohoh, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty had a baby, bam-e-lam (2x)
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam (2x)
Wohoh, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Oh, betty black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty had a baby, bam-e-lam (2x)
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty didn't mind, bam-e-lam (2x)
Damn thing was blind, bam-e-lam (2x)
Wohoh, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Black betty, black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)
Jump steady black betty, bam-e-lam (2x)


That monday, i was arrested
Tuesday, i locked up in jail
Wednesday baby, my trial's tested
On thursday, nobody could blow my bail


Yes, i'm almost done (3x)
And i ain't gonna yell against no bells


On monday, baby i went a-walking
Tuesday, i .... asked to go
On wednesday i sat down a-talking
On thursday she hock all a my clothes


Yes, i'm almost done (3x)
And i ain't gonna .... no more

(traditional, arr. the alabama singers)

Jesus met the woman at the well
Jesus met the woman at the well
And he told her, everything that she'd done, that she'd done


And he said, woman, look-a here woman,
Tell me where is your husband?
She said whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, i don't have one


He said, woman, look-a here woman,
They tell me you have five husbands
And that man you have now sure ain't one


She went running, crying, god help me
She said whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, you must be the prophet
Because you told me everything that i've done

(orbison, melson)

Just running scared, each place we go
So afraid, that he might show


Yeah, running scared, what would i do
If he came back and wanted you?


Just running scared, feeling low
Running scared that you love him so


Just running scared, afraid to lose
If he came back, which one would you choose?


And then all at once, he was standing there
So sure of himself, his head in the air
While my heart was breaking, which one would it be?
Then you turned round and walked right out on me

(j.l. hooker)

Yeah, my baby left me this morning
And i don't care now, i don't care what the people say


Yeah, i did everything that i could, everything i could,
Lord knows i did everything i could
I tried to satisfy her worried mind, that's what i did


You know she was nothing but trouble, trouble
She keep me worried all the time
God knows her movements are killing me


Yeah, my baby stayed out all night long, all night long
She keep me worried all the time


Yeah, i lay down last night i was thinking
Must i kill that woman? must i kill that woman?
Oh lord i get down on my knees
They tell me god forgivin' everything you do
But i don't care what the people say
I'm gonna kill that woman,
I'm gonna kill that woman, god knows
I'm gonna get down on my knees

(l. reed)

And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
A hand-me-down dress from who knows where
To all tomorrow's parties


And where will she go and what shall she do
When midnight comes around
She'll turn once more to sunday's gown
And cry behind the door


And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
Why silks and plumes of yesterday's gowns
To all tomorrow's parties


And what shall she do with thursday's rags
When monday comes around
She'll turn once more to sunday's clown
And cry behind the door


And what costume shall the poor girl wear
To all tomorrow's parties
For thursday's child is sunday's clown
For whom none will go mourning


A blackened shroud, a hand-me-down gown
Of rags and silks, a costume
Fit for one who sits and cries
For all tomorrow's parties