Oh, black mama, what's the matter with you? Said, if it ain't satisfactory, don't care what I do Hey, mama, what's the matter with you? Said, if it ain't satisfactory, baby, don't care what I do You take a brownskin woman'll make a rabbit move to town Say, but a jet-black woman'll make a mule kick his stable down Oh, a brownskin woman will make a rabbit move to town Oh, but a real black woman'll make a mule kick his stable down Say, t'ain't no heaven, say, there ain't no burnin' hell Say, where I'm going when I die, can't nobody tell Oh, there ain't no heaven, now, there ain't no burnin' hell Oh, where I'm going when I die, can't nobody tell Well, my black mama's face shine like the sun Oh, lipstick and powder sure won't help her none My black mama's face shine like the sun Oh, lipstick and powder, well, they sure won't help her none Well, you see my milk cow, tell her to hurry home I ain't had no milk cow since that cow been gone If you see my milk cow, tell her to hurry home Yeah, I ain't had no milk cow since that cow been gone Well, I'm going to the race track to see my pony run He ain't the best in the world, but he's a runnin' son-of-a-gun I'm going to the race track to see my pony run He ain't the best in the world, but he's a runnin' son-of-a-gun Oh, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul Wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold Oh, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul Wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold Part Two Hey, I solemnly swear, Lord, I raise my right hand That I'm goin' get me a woman, you get you another man I solemnly swear, Lord, I raise my right hand That I'm goin' get me a woman, you get you another man I got a letter this morning, how do you reckon it read? "Oh, hurry, hurry, gal, you love is dead" I got a letter this morning, how do you reckon it read? "Oh, hurry, hurry, gal, you love is dead" I grabbed my suitcase, I took off, up the road I got there, she was laying on the cooling board I grabbed my suitcase, I took on up the road I got there, she was laying on the cooling board Well, I walked up close, I looked down in her face Good old gal, you got to lay here till Judgment Day I walked up close, and I looked down in her face Yes, been a good old gal, got to lay here till Judgment Day (spoken: Aw sho' now, I feel low-down this evenin'!) Oh, my woman so black, she shays apart of this town Can't nothin' "go" when the poor girl is around My black mama stays apart of this town Oh, can't nothing "go" when the poor girl is around Oh, some people tell me the worried blues ain't bad It's the worst old feelin' that I ever had Some people tell me the worried blues ain't bad Buddy, the worst old feelin', Lord, I ever had Hmmm, I fold my arms, and I walked away "That's all right, mama, your trouble will come someday" I fold my arms, Lord, I walked away Say, "That's all right, mama, your trouble will come someday"