by Leadbelly recording of 19 from Leadbelly [Virgin] (Virgin 7243), copyright notice
Well you wake up in the morning, hear the ding dong ring, You go a-marching to the table, see the same damn thing Well, it's on a one table, knife, a fork and a pan, and if you say anything about it, you're in trouble with the man
Let the midnight special, shine her light on me Let the midnight special, shine her ever-loving light on me
If you ever go to Houston, you better walk right, you better not stagger, you better not fight Sheriff Benson will arrest you, he'll carry you down And if the jury finds you guilty, penitentiary bound
Yonder come little Rosie, how in the world do you know I can tell her by her apron, and the dress she wore Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand She goes a-marching to the captain, says, "I want my man"
"I don' believe that Rosie loves me", well tell me why She ain't been to see me, since las' July She brought me little coffee, she brought me little tea Brought me damn near ever'thing but the jailhouse key
Yonder comes doctor Adams, "How in the world do you know?" Well he gave me a tablet, the day befo' There ain't no doctor, in all the lan' Can cure the fever of a convict man