Caught her sleeping / lowdown lonesome self Caught her sleeping daze / lowldown lonesome self And I wouldn't a been here / Hadn't a been for Nell Kill that ole grey mule / burn down that white man's barn Kill that ole grey mule / burned down that white man's barn I didn't mean no trouble I didn't mean no harm I want you to love me or leave me girl / anything you wanna do I want you to love me or leave me / anything you wanna do What a strange thing happened someday might happen to you Well you say you're gonna leave me / Say you're goin away Well you said you're gonna leave me Pearly Mae / Say you're goin away I say luck beats a fortune / you'll come back home someday. I say luck beats a fortune / Pearly Mae you'll come back home someday