Cocaine Blues - Dave Van Ronk

Early one mornin' while makin' the rounds

I took a shot of cocaine and I shot my woman down

I went right home and I went to bed

I stuck that lovin' 44 beneath my head

Got up next mornin' and I grabbed that gun

Took a shot of cocaine and away I run

Made a good run but I ran too slow

Oh, they overtook me down in Juarez Mexico

Late in the hot joints, takin' my pills

In walked the sheriff from Jericho Hill

He said, «Willy Lee, your name is not Jack Brown

You’re the dirty hack that shot your woman down»

Said, «Yes, oh yes, my name is Willy Lee

If you’ve got a warrant just a read it to me

Shot her down because she made me slow

I thought I was her daddy but she had five more»

When I was arrested I was dressed in black

They put me on a train and they took me back

Had no friends to put my bail

They slapped my dried up carcass in that county jail

Early next mornin' 'bout a half past 9

I spied a sheriff coming down the line

He coughed oh, he cleared his throat

He said, «Come on, you dirty heck into the court»

Into the courtroom my trial began

Where I was handled by twelve honest men

Just before the jury started out

I saw that little judge commence to look about

In about five minutes in walked a man

He held the verdict in his right hand

The verdict read in the first degree

I hollered, «Lordy, Lordy, have a mercy on me»

The judge, he smiled as he picked up his pen

99 years in the Folsom pen

99 years underneath the ground

Can’t forget the day I shot that bad bitch down

Come on, come on, you’ve gotta listen to me

Lay off that whiskey and let that cocaine be

Let that cocaine be