Author: Jim

More Pretty Girls Than One

Jim,

—Arthur Smith version, 1936

Chorus:
There's more pretty girls than one
There's more pretty girls than one
Now don't be blue, I'll tell you true
There's more pretty girls than one.

Well, I am a rambling man
I done roam this world around
I've always been a rounder boys
Since my girl turned me down.

The reason that I ramble
I'll tell you if I can
The only girl I ever loved
Left me for another man.

Now listen all you rounders
Let me tell you what you'd do
Don't fall in love with a pretty little girl
Unless you know she's true.

3/4

Verse and Chorus:

I I IV I
IV I I-V I

 

—origninal Leonard & John D. Rutherford, 1929 version

Up and down that lonesome road,
Hang down your head and cry,
Thinking about those pretty girls,
And I wish I'll never die.

Chorus:
There's more pretty girls than one,
There's more pretty girls than one;
Everywhere I ramble around,
There's more pretty girls than one.

There's fish that's never been caught
Pretty shoes that's never been bought
Everywhere I ramble around,
There's more pretty girls than one.

My mama told me one day,
She gave me good advice,
She told me to quit my ramblin' 'round,
And marry me a lovin' wife.

More Pretty Girls Than One

Jim,

Chorus:
There's more pretty girls than one
More pretty girls then one
Every old town that I rambled around
And there's more pretty girls than one

Mama talked to me last night
She gave me some good advice
She said "Son, you'd better quit this old ramblin' all around
And mary you a sweet little wife"

Honey, look down that old lonesome road
Hang down your pretty head and cry
'cause I'm thinking all about them pretty little gals
And a—hopin' that I never die

There's more pretty girls than one
There's more pretty girls then one
Every old town that I rambled around
And there's more pretty girls than one

4/4
Verse and Chorus:

I I IV I
IV I I-V I

 

Money in the Mail

Jim,

I'm always broke before my payday rolls around
I feel like a rabbit that the dogs are running down!
But today I got a call that said by Friday without fail
I'll get a lot of money in the mail!

Chorus:
There's money in the mail
My uncle Clarence put me in his will.
Since he died and went to heaven,
I won't have to go to jail
Hallelullya! There's money in the mail!!

I'm going to pay off everybody that I owe.
And most of them are people that I don't even KNOW!
Call up the County Sheriff "Get those bloodhounds off my trail!
Don't worry, boys, your money's in the mail!"

I'm no good at making money, no matter how I try.
One time I even put my body up for sale.
But nobody had a dollar they want to throw away.
But that don't bother me because
I got money in the mail

God bless Uncle Clarence, 'cause I never knew him well….
But, thanks to him, there's money in the mail!

Verse:

I V I IV
I V I V
I V I IV
I V I I

Chorus:

V V I I
V V I V
I V I IV
I V I I

 

Mom and Dad's Waltz

Jim,

—Lefty Frizzell

I'd walk for miles, cry or smile
For mama and daddy
I want them, I want them to know
How I feel, my love is real
For my mama and daddy
I want them to know I love them so.

Chorus:
In my heart the joy tears start 'cause I'm happy
And I pray every day for Mom and Pappy
And each night I'd walk for miles, cry or smile
For my mama and daddy
I want them to know I love them so.

I'd fight in wars, do all the chores
For my mama and daddy
I want them to live on 'til they're called
I'd work and slave and never rave
For mama and daddy
Because I know I owe them my all.

Tag: I love them so.

¾

Verse:

I V I IV
I V I V
I V I IV
I V I I

Chorus:

V V I I
V V I V
I V I IV
I V I I

 

Molly and Tenbrooks

Jim,

—The Carver Boys

Run oh Molly run, run oh Molly run
Tenbrooks gonna beat you to the bright shinin' sun.
To the bright shinin' sun O Lord to the bright shinin' sun

Tenbrooks was a big bay horse he wore that shaggy mane
He run all around Memphis he beat the Memphis train
Beat the Memphis train O Lord beat the Memphis train

See that train a—comin' it's comin' round the curve
See old Tenbrooks runnin' he's strainin' every nerve
Strainin' every nerve O Lord strainin' every nerve

Tenbrooks said to Molly what makes your head so red?
Runnin' in the hot sun puts fever in my head
Fever in my head O Lord fever in my head

Molly said to Tenbrooks you're lookin' mighty squirrel
Tenbrooks said to Molly I'm a—leavin' this old world
Leavin' this old world O Lord leavin' this old world

Out in California where Molly done as she pleased
Come back to old Kentucky got beat with all ease
Beat with all ease O Lord beat with all ease

The women all a—laughin' the child'n all a cryin'
The men all a—hollerin' old Tenbrooks a—flyin'
Old Tenbrooks a—flyin' O Lord old Tenbrooks a—flyin'

Kyper Kyper you're not A—ridin' right
Molly's beatin' old Tenbrooks clear out sight
Clear out of sight O Lord clear out of sight

Kyper Kyper Kyper my son
Give old Tenbrooks the bridle let old Tenbrooks run
Let old Tenbrooks run O Lord let old Tenbrooks run

Go and catch old Tenbrooks and hitch him in the shade
We're gonna bury old Molly in a coffin ready made
Coffin ready made O Lord coffin ready made

Verse:

I I I IV
IV I V I
I I V I I

 

Misbehavin' Mama

Jim,

—The Allen Brothers

Blues, blues I've got them on my mind. (x2)
Got a misbehavin' mama, she's misbehavin' all the time.

She tells every morning, she tells me every day (x2)
She's a misbehavin' mama, gonna have her misbehavin' ways.

She dances every morning, there's nothing she don't learn (x2)
She showed me last night, have to do that corkscrew turn.

Get me a black gal, the blackest in the land (x2)
She'll be my misbehavin' mama, I'll be her misbehavin' man.

Verse:

I I I I
IV IV IV I
V V V I

Mind Your Own Business

Jim,

—Hank Williams

If the wife and I are fussin', brother that's our right
'Cause me and that sweet woman's got a license to fight
Why don't you mind your own business (Mind your own business)
'Cause if you mind your business, then you won't be mindin' mine.

Oh, the woman on our party line's the nosiest thing
She picks up her receiver when she knows it's my ring
Why don't you mind your own business (Mind your own business)
Well, if you mind your business, then you won't be mindin' mine.

I got a little gal that wears her hair up high,
the boys all whistle when she walks by.
Why don't you mind your own business (Mind your own business)
Well, if you mind your own business, you sure won't be minding mine.

If I want to honky tonk around 'til two or three
Now, brother that's my headache, don't you worry 'bout me.
Just mind your own business (Mind your own business)
If you mind your business, then you won't be mindin' mine.

Mindin' other people's business seems to be high—toned
I got all that I can do just to mind my own
Why don't you mind your own business (Mind your own business)
If you mind your own business, you'll stay busy all the time.

Verse:

I I I I
IV IV I I
V V I I

Milk Cow Blues

Jim,

—Kokomo Arnold, 1934

Well, I woke up this mornin' looked out the door
I can tell it was my milk cow
I can tell the way she lows
If you see my milk cow, please, drive her on home
'Cause I ain't had no milk and butter
Since my cow's been gone

Well, you gotta treat me right day by day
Get out your little prayer book
Get down upon your knees and pray
'Cause you're gonna to need…
You're gonna need my help someday
Well, you're gonna be sorry you treated me this way

I know baby gone, she's left me to stay
I'm gonna leave you honey,
I'm gonna go far away
If you need me baby, please call me at home.
'Cause I ain't had no milk and butter
Since my baby's been been gone

Others' verses:

Well good evening, don't that sun look good going down
Well good evening, don't that sun look good going down
Don't your little world look lonely
When your lover ain't around

Sail on, sail on, sail on little girl, sail on
Sail on, sail on, sail on little girl, sail on
Well you're goin' to be wondering
Where in this world I've gone.

Well I tried everything baby to get along with you
Now I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna stop my cryin', gonna leave you alone
If you don't think I'm leavin' you just count the days I'm gone.

You won't see, you won't see my little face no more
You won't see, you won't see my little face no more
Well you're goin' to be sorry you turned me from your door.

Verse:

I I I I7
IV IV I I
V V I I

 



Midnight Moonlight

Jim,

—Peter Rowan

Do you ever feel lonesome when you're down in San Antone
Beg steal or borrow two nickels or a dime to call you on the phone
I'll meet you at Alamo mission we can say our prayers
The Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mother will hear us as we kneel there

Chorus:
In the Midnight, In the Moonlight
In the Midnight Moonlight Moonlight

Did you ever feel sorrow for the deeds that you have done
With no hope for tomorrow in the setting of the sun
And the ocean is howling with things that might have been
And that last good—morning sunrise would be the brightest you've ever seen

Verse:
(More or less)

I I V V
IIm V IV VII
I I V V
IIm V VIm-V IV

Chorus:

|: VII IV VII IV
VII IV I :|

 

Memphis

Jim,

—Chuck Berry

Long distance information, give me Memphis, Tennessee
Help me find the party trying to get in touch with me
She could not leave her number, but I know who placed the call
'Cause my uncle took the message, and he wrote it on the wall

Help me, information, get in touch with my Marie
She's the only one who'd phone me here from Memphis, Tennessee
Her home is on the south side, high up on a ridge
Just a half a mile from the Mississippi Bridge

Help me, information, more than that I cannot add
Only that I miss her and all the fun we had
But we were pulled apart because her mom did not agree
And tore apart our happy home in Memphis, Tennessee

Last time I saw Marie, she's waving me good—bye
With hurry home drops on her cheek that trickled from her eye
Marie is only six years old, information, please
Try to put me through to her in Memphis, Tennessee

Verse:

V V V V
I I V V-I