I am a man of constant sorrow
I've seen trouble all my days
I bid farewell to old Kentucky
The place where I was borned and raised
For six long years I've been in trouble
No pleasure here on earth I find
For in this world I'm bound to ramble
I have no friends to help me now
It's fare thee well my own true lover
I never expect to see you again
For I'm bound to ride that northern railroad
Perhaps I'll die upon this train
You can bury me in some deep valley
For many years where I may lay
Then you may learn to love another
While I am sleeping in my grave
Maybe your friends think I'm just a stranger
My face you'll never will see no more
But there is one promise that is given
I'll meet you on God's golden shore
Mama don't allow no music playin' round here (X2)
Well, we don't care what Mama don't allow
Gonna play that music anyhow
Mama don't allow no music playin' round here
Mama don't allow no guitar playin' round here (X2)
Mama don't allow no singin' round here (X2)
Mama don't allow no hand clapping here (X2)
Mama don't allow no foot stompin' round here (X2)
Washboard Sam's version:
Mama don't 'low no struttin' in here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no struttin' in here
Says we don't care what the mama don't 'low.
We gon' strut our stuff anyhow
Mama don't 'low no struttin' in here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no shimmy-shakin' here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no shimmy-shakin' here
Says we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' shake our shimmy anyhow
Mama don't 'low no shimmy-shakin' here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no breakin' down in here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no breakin' down in here
Says we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' break 'em down anyhow
Mama don't 'low no breakin' down in here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no easy-woodlin' here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no easy-woodlin' here
Says we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' easy-woodle anyhow
Mama don't 'low no easy-woodlin' here
Ah, Mama don't 'low no wigglin'-wobblin' here
No, Mama don't 'low no wigglin'-wobblin' here
Oh, we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' wiggle-walk anyhow
Mama don't 'low no wigglin'-wobblin' here
No, Mama don't 'low no rough stuff in here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no rough stuff in here
Oh, we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' do rough stuff anyhow
Mama don't 'low no rough stuff in here
No, Mama don't 'low no booglin'-wooglin' here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no booglin'-wooglin' here
Oh, we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' boogie-woogie anyhow
Mama don't 'low no boogie-woogin' here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no be-bop-nah-boh-bop-nah-boo
Oh, Mama don't 'low no be-bop-nah-boh-bop-nah-boo
Oh, we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' be-bop anyhow
Mama don't 'low no be-bop-nah-boh-bop in here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no boy-girls in here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no boy-girls in here
We don't care what the mama don't 'low
Boy-girls comin' in here anyhow
Mama don't 'low no boy-girls in here
Yes, Mama don't 'low no whiskey drinkin' here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no whiskey drinkin' here.
Oh, we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' drink our whiskey anyhow
Mama don't 'low no whiskey drinkin' here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no washboard playin' here
Oh, Mama don't 'low no washboard playin' here
Oh, we don't care what the mama don't 'low
We gon' play washboards anyhow
Mama don't 'low no washboards in here
Mama Don't Allow no Low-down Hangin' Around, recorded by Byrd Moore:
Mama don't 'low them kids that don't care
Papa don't 'low that I won't a-have it here
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
I don't care what a-Mama don't 'low
Gonna have my fun, oh, anyhow
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Told me, honey, that you'd be true
Sit right close, don't let the sun shine through
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Up in the mornin', oh, please don't rain
I looked in the pantry, see the same old thing
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
I don't care what-ta Mama don't 'low
Gonna have my fun, oh, anyhow
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Told me, honey, like to change your name
Oh, quit your worrying, or you won't see me again
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
I don't care what a-Mama don't 'low
Gonna have my fun, oh, anyhow
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Told me, honey, that you'd be true
Sit right close, don't let the sun shine through
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Mama don't 'low them kids that don't care
Papa don't 'low that I won't-a-have it here
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Mama don't 'low them kids that don't care
Papa don't 'low that I won't-a-have it here
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
I don't care what-ta Mama don't 'low
Gonna have my fun anyhow
Mama don't 'low no low-down hangin' around
Chorus:
Make me down a pallet on your floor ( x2 )
Honey, make it down, make it soft and low,
Then maybe my good gal won't know
I'm goin' up the country through the sleet and snow ( x3 )
Ain't no tellin' just how fur I'll go.
I get my breakfast here and my dinner in Tennessee ( x3 )
I told you I's a comin' so you better look for me
Honey I can't lay down on your bed
No I can't lay down 'cross your bed
No you know I can't lay down cross your pretty bed
'Cause my good woman she might kill me dead
And don't let my good gal catch you here ( x2 )
If you do she might shoot you, cut and stab you, too,
Ain't no tellin' what all she might do.
Honey make me down a pallet on your floor (X2)
Honey make it down, make it soft and low
Then maybe my good gal she won't know
The way I been sleepin', my back and shoulders' tired ( x3 )
Goin' turn over and try it on the side.
Additional verses:
I'm goin' up the country through the sleet and snow ( x3 )
Ain't no tellin' just how far I'll go
I'm tired and I can't work no more (X2)
Well I'm tired, lonesome, weary and I can't work no more,
Pretty baby now, make me a pallet on your floor
Come all you good time friends of mine, (X2)
Come all you good time friends of mine.
You're all around me now, well, now I'm doing fine,
But where were you when I only had a dime.
Where are all them good—time friends of mine? (X2)
When I had a dollar bill they treated me jus' fine;
Where are they now I don't have a dime?
I'm goin' where the water tastes like wine—— (X2)
This New York water tastes like turpentine——
I'm goin' where the water taste like wine.
I'm goin' where them chilly winds don't blow; (X2)
When I get to Mussel Shoals, without no place to go,
Make me a pallet on your floor.
Two trees on a hillside of the mountain
Always looking up towards the sky
Remind me of my papa and my mama
Who lived there eighty years before they died
Now a bright moon is shining in the valley
An old wagon leans against a stack of hay
Two graves on a hillside by the cabin
My mom and dad are resting there today
The burning of the green wood on the fireplace
The fallen snow around the red bud trees
The branches of the laurel by the creek bed
And the rippling waters of the gentle stream
Papa used to talk about the young days
When he and mama first were settled there
He spoke about the love of the mountains
That he and mama shared together there
I told ya a million times how I Love you.
But honey your old shriveled heart won't let me in.
So I'll just relax here, with this glass of gin,
headed for the ozone agin.
Here we go now…
Chorus:
I'm lost in the ozone again.
I'm lost in the ozone again.
One drink of wine, two drinks of gin…
and I'm lost in the ozone again.
Now the neon lights are shinin' bright downtown.
There's a thousand swingin' doors gonna let me in.
I tucked the kids in bed, heh!, at eight o'clock and then…
I'm gonna head for the ozone again.
I'm a rollin' stone all alone and lost
For a life of sin I have paid the cost
When I pass by all the people say
Just another guy on the lost highway
Just a deck of cards and a jug of wine
And a woman's lies makes a life like mine
O the day we met, I went astray
I started rolling down that lost highway
I was just a lad, nearly 22
Neither good nor bad, just a kid like you
And now I'm lost, too late to pray
Lord I paid the cost, on the lost highway
Now boy's don't start to ramblin' round
On this road of sin ,or you're sorrow bound
Take my advice or you'll curse the day
You started rollin' down that lost highway
(also called Two Dollar Bill, and same tune as Big Ball in Memphis)
Chorus:
Lost all my money but a two dollar bill
Two dollar bill boys, two dollar bill
Lost all my money but a two dollar bill
I'm on my long journey home
Cloudy in the West and it looks like rain
Looks like rain, boys, looks like rain
Cloudy in the West and it looks like rain
I'm on my long journey home
It's dark and a raining and I want to go home
Want to go home, boys, want to go home
Its dark and a raining and I want to go home
I'm on my long journey home
Homesick and lonesome and I'm feeling kind of blue
Feeling kind of blue, boys, feeling kind of blue
Homesick and lonesome and I'm feeling kind of blue
I'm on my long journey home
There's black smoke a rising and it surely is a train
Surely is a train boys, surely is a train
There's black smoke a rising and it surely is a train
I'm on my long journey home
