Railroad Blues
[This is a collection of floating verses, in 12 bar form. The last line in the first stanza may be a quote from "Alabama Bound," an early blues. "Brownie" could be a woman's name or perhaps a reference to skin color- as in "fair brown." I've taken the liberty to arrange the stanzas in standard three line stanzas.
R. Matteson 2014]
RAILROAD BLUES
Railroad blues fretting on my mind,
Railroad blues fretting on my mind,
Alabam-o blues, Alabam-o blues.
Run here Brownie, give me your right hand,
Run here Brownie, give me your right hand,
You go to your woman, I'll go to my man.
See here Brownie, what you've gone and done,
See here Brownie, what you've gone and done,
You caused me to love you, now your man has come.
I got up this morning, just get up in time,
I got up this morning, just get up in time,
To see my Brownie, pass my door a-flying.
I got up this morning, blues all around my bed,
I got up this morning, blues all around my bed,
It's the worst blues, think I've ever had.
Your hair is not curly, and you're teeth's not pearl,
Your hair is not curly, and you're teeth's not pearl,
Your good looks is all [that] carries you through this world.
I'm going to the river, going to sit right down,
I'm going to the river, going to sit right down,
If them blues overtake me, I'll jump in and drown.
Railroad blues fretting on my mind,
Railroad blues fretting on my mind,
Alabam-o blues, Alabam-o blues.