Author: Jim

Can't Get No Better

Jim,

—John Hartford

Well he caressed her breast she hie di died his thigh
And the pill lit on the pillow amongst the wine bottles and the cheese
Took a Polaroid picture that was naughty and it slipped yes it did
And just when I thought it couldn't get no better then it did

Chorus:
Just when you think it can't get no better then it does
It's always so much better than it ever was
Seems like all the good things come at once, yes they do
And just when you think it can't get no better then it does

Well they knew what they liked they ain't neither one of them naive
She said I'll probably get in trouble but this time I don't care
Well I should go to work but I'd rather be with you instead
And just when I thought it couldn't get no better then it did

She taught school and he played the five string banjo
She lived here in town and he traveled the whole world wide
Well she packed the lunch brought the wine he drove the car and scored a lid
And just when I thought it couldn't get no better then it did

It was a perfect day for dalliance and a picnic
And a riverbank was an excellent place to love
Well the sun was a shining and the birds were singing overhead
And just when I thought it couldn't get no better then it did

Everything:

I III7 VI I7 IV V I

 

But That's All Right

Jim,

—Autry Inman

I gave my heart I gave my all
you built me up then you let me fall
You wore my ring upon your hand
but then you changed your mind
But that's all right
I looked around and found true love

You made me laugh you made me cry
I wished that day that I could die
You never dreamed that by and by
I'd be glad you changed your mind
Yes that's all right
I looked around and found true love

¾ and crooked

Verse and Chorus:

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

 

Busted

Jim,

—Harlan Howard 1962

My bills are all due and the baby needs shoes and I'm busted
Cotton is down to a quarter a pound, but I'm busted
I got a cow that went dry and a hen that won't lay
A big stack of bills that gets bigger each day
The county's gonna haul my belongings away cause I'm busted.

I went to my brother to ask for a loan cause I was busted
I hate to beg like a dog without his bone, but I'm busted
My brother said there ain't a thing I can do,
My wife and my kids are all down with the flu,
And I was just thinking about calling on you 'cause I'm busted.

Well, I am no thief, but a man can go wrong when he's busted
The food that we canned last summer is gone and I'm busted
The fields are all bare and the cotton won't grow,
Me and my family got to pack up and go,
But I'll make a living, just where I don't know cause I'm busted.

¾

Verse:

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

 

Bury Me Beneath the Willow

Jim,

—The Carter Family, 1927

Ricky Skaggs & Tony Rice Version:

My heart is sad I am lonely
For the only one I love
When shall I see her oh no never
'Til we meet in heaven above

Chorus:
Oh, bury me beneath the willow
Under the weeping willow tree
So she will know where I am sleeping
And perhaps she'll weep for me

She told me that she dearly loved me
How could I believe it untrue
Until the angels softly whispered
She will prove untrue to you

Tomorrow was our wedding day
Oh God oh God where can she be
She's out a-courting with another
And no longer cares for me

Verse and Chorus:

I IV I V
I IV I – V I
Original Carter Family lyrics:

My heart is sad and I'm in sorrow
For the only one I love
When shall I see him, oh, no, never
Till I meet him in heaven above

Chorus:
Oh, bury me under the weeping willow
Yes, under the weeping willow tree
So he may know where I am sleeping
And perhaps he will weep for me

They told me that he did not love me
I could not believe it was true
Until an angel softly whispered
He has proven untrue to you

Tomorrow was our wedding day
But, Lord, oh, where is he
He's gone to seek him another bride
And he cares no more for me

Oh, bury me under the violets blue
To prove my love to him
Tell him that I would die to save him
For his love I never could win

Extra verse…

Place on my grave a snow white lily
To prove my love for her was true
To show the world I died of grieving
For her love I could not win


Bully of the Town

Jim,

—Stringbean's Version

I'm looking for that bully, the bully of your town
I'm looking for that bully, that bully can't be found.
I'm looking for that bully of your town

Chorus:
Oh out on the levee walkin' round, round, round
Every day I may be found, found, found,
When you see me walkin' this round
I'm looking for that bully of your town

When I met that bully way down in southern town
When I met that bully we both went round and round
I was put by the bully of your town

Chorus

Well I've been east and I've been west
And I've been all around
I'm huntin' for that bully, that bully can't be found
I'm looking for that bully of your town

Chorus

Repeat verse 1.

Verse:

I Ib I I
IV IV IV  IV
V V I I

Chorus:

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

 

Bully of the Town

Jim,

—Holy Modal Rounders, originally Charles E. Trevathan late 1800's

Have you heard about the bully that's just come into town?
He's rounding up the people and layin' their bodies down.
And I'm looking for the bully of the town.

I just got here from Tennessee, and I can't allow
No redneck rebel roustabout with me to raise a row
And I'm looking for that Bully to make him bow.

Chorus:
As I walk this levee round, round, round, round,
Every night I can't be found, found, found, found,
As I walk this levee round, just lookin' for that bully, and he must be found.

I'm goin' to the corner with my ax in my hand,
I'm gonna find that bully, and I'll sweep him off the land.
And I'm lookin' for that bully, to make him stand.

I'm goin' to the corner, to get my razor blade,
I'm gonna find that bully and lay him in the shade,
And I'm lookin for the bully of the town.

Chorus

Now when you see me comin' heist your window high,
And when you see me goin' hang your head and cry,
And I'm lookin' for that bully and he must die.

My madness keeps a—risin' I ain't gonna get left,
I'm gettin' so evil I'm scared of myself.
And I'm gonna put that bully on a shelf.

Chorus

Verse:

I Ib I I – I7
IV IV IV II7
V V I I

Chorus:

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

 

Among the many extra verses:

When I got done with that bully, a doctor and a nurse
Weren't no good to him, so they put him in a hearse,
A cyclone couldn't have tore him up much worse.

You don't hear 'bout that fella that treated folks so mean,
Go down to the levee and his face just won't be seen.
Now there's only one boss bully, and that one's me.

Buffalo Gals

Jim,

(also see Alabama Gals)

As I was walking down the street,
Down the street, down the street
A pretty little gal I chanced to meet
And we danced by the light of the moon.

Chorus:
Buffalo gals won't you come out tonight
Come out tonight, come out tonight
Buffalo gals wont you come out tonight
And we'll dance by the light of the moon.

I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And her knees was a-knockin' and her shoes was a'rockin'
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon

Now I got a gal with a wart on her chin
Toes turned out and her eyes turned in
Purtey good gal for the shape she's in
And we danced by the light of the moon.

She's the prettiest little gal I've seen in my life
Seen in my life, seen in my life
And I wished to the Lord she'd be my wife
And we danced by the light of the moon.

I got a gal at the top of the hill
Top of the hill, at the top of the hill
She's a moonshiner's daughter
And I love her still
Tell me won't you come out tonight

I asked her would she'd stop and talk,
Stop and talk, stop and talk,
Her feet covered up de whole sidewalk,
As she stood close to me.

A few more verses…
 
Verse & Chorus:

I I V I
I I V I

 

Bringing in the Georgia Mail

Jim,

See the engine puffing, boy she's making time
That old trains wearing out the rail, rail, rail
Heading for the mountain that she's got to climb
Bringing in the Georgia mail

Ninety miles an hour and she's gaining speed
Listen to the whistle moan and wail, wail, wail
Has she got the power I'll say yes indeed
Bringing in the Georgia mail

See the driver's travel watch her spin the track
Ought to put that engineer in jail, jail, jail
Has he got her rolling watch her ball the jack
Bringing in the Georgia mail

Rocking and a reeling spouting off the steam
Stoke the fire and hope the brakes don't fail, fail, fail
Serving all the people listen to her scream
Bringing in the Georgia mail

Verse:

I I V V
I I I-V I

 

Bring Your Clothes Back Home

Jim,

—John Hartford

Mama killed a rooster, thought it was a duck
Put it on the table with its legs pokin' up
Oh, babe — 'bout to lose my mind
Bring your clothes back home and try me one more time

You know about kissing and loving on down
You're the dreamiest gal I've ever been around
Oh, babe — 'bout to lose my mind
Bring your clothes back home and try me one more time

She's coming down the stairs going "oop shoop a—doobie"
I'm looking up thinking 'bout that flip—flop—floobie
Oh, babe — 'bout to lose my mind
Bring your clothes back home and try me one more time

Verse:

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

 

Blues in a Bottle

Jim,

—Prince Albert Hunt

Blues in a bottle, blues in a bottle,
Where do you think you're at pretty mama,
Blues in a bottle, where do you think you're at?
You went and kicked my dog, and
Now you drowned my cat. (sat on my hat)

Going to Chattanoogy, Going to Chattanoogy,
See my ponies run, pretty mama.
Going to Chattanoody, to see my ponies run.
If I win a prize, going to give my baby some.

Rooster chews tobacco, rooster chews tobacco,
The hen uses snuff, pretty mama.
The rooster chews tobacco, and the hen uses snuff.
The baby chickens don't use nothing, they just strut their stuff.

Goin to a silly party, goin to a silly party
Sorry I can't take you, pretty mama.
Going to a silly party, sorry I can't take you.
I just can't abide no woman goes 'round sniffin' glue.

more verses:

Blues in a bottle, blues in a bottle,
Stopper in my hand, pretty mama.
Blues in a bottle, stopper in my hand.
I'm going back to Fort Worth, find me another man.

Dig your 'taters, go dig your 'taters,
It's 'tater digging time, pretty mama.
Go dig your 'taters, it's 'tater digging time.
Old man Jack Frost done and killed your vine.

Asked my baby, asked my baby,
Could she stand to see me cry, pretty mama.
Asked my baby, could she stand to see me cry.
Says, "Old black daddy, I can stand to see you die."

Verse:

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