—Speckled Red (Rufus George Perryman) 1930
You've got the right string, mama
But the wrong yo-yo
Don't come by here with your hard luck story
I passed this mo'nin' by the hardware store
I bought a brand new string
For my yo-yo
Went on down to the doctor
To get the string put on
He turned around
And put the string on wrong
No need to knockin' on nobody's door
You got the right string mama
But the wrong yo-yo
Get away from the window
Don't you knock on my door
You know your string don't fit my yo yo
You got the right string mama
But the wrong yo-yo
Mama told me, papa did too
Some of these women be the death of you'
You better find out which you crave
Some a-these women gonna
Take you to yo grave!
Now you see me comin'
Put your man outdoors
I ain't no stranger, I been here, before
No need a-knockin' on nobody's door
The right string, baby but the wrong yo-yo
Verse:
| VI | II | V | I |
Alternate verses:
I took my yo-yo
And I went down town
I yo-yoed up
And I yo-yoed down
Looked in the window
Of a ten cent store
Everbody stood there looking
At my yo-yo
Saw this good looking redhead
Cute as could be
I said, "Hey, honey
You look just right for me"
But some dude walked up behind me
And said kinda low
"You got the right string, sonny
But that's my yo-yo"