I laid in jail, back turned to the wall
I laid in jail, back turned to the wall
Says, a Georgia woman was the cause of it all
(Spoken: I knowed it was a Georgia woman)
They arrested me, carried me 'fore the judge
They arrested me, and they carried me 'fore the judge
Say, the judge wouldn't allow me to say a mumbling word
(Spoken: That's right, I know they give you a long time, too!)
I asked the judge, "What might be my fine?"
(Spoken: rake or pick)
I asked the judge, "What might be my fine?"
(Spoken: ? )
Said, "A pick and shovel, deep down in the mine"
I told the judge, "I ain't been here before"
(Spoken: Well, you told him a lie – you know it)
I told the judge, "Ain't been here before"
(Spoken: You can't fool them, you can't fool them)
"If you give me light sentence, I won't come here no more"
(Spoken: You won't be bothered – you know who)
"Mr. Judge, Mr. Judge, please don't break so hard"
"Mr. Judge, Mr. Judge, please don't break so hard
I've always been a poor boy, never had no job"
(Spoken: That's all I ever knowed you – poor boy)
And the next day, carried the poor boy away
The next day, they carried that poor boy away
Say, the next day, I laid in balls and chains
(Spoken: I know it makes your ankles sore)
Take these stripes off my back, chains from 'round my leg
Stripes off my back, chains from 'round my leg
These balls and chains about to kill me dead
I laid in jail, back turned to the wall
Says, a Georgia woman was the cause of it all
(Spoken: I knowed it was a Georgia woman)
They arrested me, carried me 'fore the judge
They arrested me, and they carried me 'fore the judge
Say, the judge wouldn't allow me to say a mumbling word
(Spoken: That's right, I know they give you a long time, too!)
I asked the judge, "What might be my fine?"
(Spoken: rake or pick)
I asked the judge, "What might be my fine?"
(Spoken: ? )
Said, "A pick and shovel, deep down in the mine"
I told the judge, "I ain't been here before"
(Spoken: Well, you told him a lie – you know it)
I told the judge, "Ain't been here before"
(Spoken: You can't fool them, you can't fool them)
"If you give me light sentence, I won't come here no more"
(Spoken: You won't be bothered – you know who)
"Mr. Judge, Mr. Judge, please don't break so hard"
"Mr. Judge, Mr. Judge, please don't break so hard
I've always been a poor boy, never had no job"
(Spoken: That's all I ever knowed you – poor boy)
And the next day, carried the poor boy away
The next day, they carried that poor boy away
Say, the next day, I laid in balls and chains
(Spoken: I know it makes your ankles sore)
Take these stripes off my back, chains from 'round my leg
Stripes off my back, chains from 'round my leg
These balls and chains about to kill me dead
Contributed by Marcello Tagliabue - 2025/12/8 - 10:31
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Howell, come altri cantanti blues, vedi per esempio Bukka White ("Parchman Farm Blues"), o Lead Belly, aveva sperimentato direttamente la prigione, essendo stato incarcerato in Georgia per reati legati al contrabbando di alcolici. Le condizioni di lavoro in queste prigioni erano abbastanza simili a quelle dei tempi della schiavitù. In questo blues racconta di un 'poor boy' condannato al lavoro in miniera, con palla al piede e catene ai polsi.
Peg Leg Howell (vocal & guitar), Jim Hill (mandolin & speech)
Atlanta, 13 aprile 1929