Welfare Store Blues - John Lee Williamson, Buck Clayton, Lester Young

Now me an my baby we talked late last night

An we talked for another hour

She wanted me to go down to the welfare sto'

And get a sack a-that welfare flour

But I told her, 'No'

'Baby an I sho' don’t wanna go'

I said, 'I'll do anything in the world for you

I don’t wanna go down to that welfare sto'

Now, you need to go get you some real, white man

You know, to sign yo' little note

They give ya a pair of them king-toed shoes

I want no a-them pleat-back, soldier coat

But I told 'er, 'No'

'Baby an I sho' don’t wanna go

I say, 'I'll do anything in the world for ya

'But I don’t wanna go down to that welfare sto'

President Roosevelt said, on welfare people

They gonna treat ev’ryone right

Said, they give ya a can of them beans

An a can or two of them old tripe

But I told 'er, 'No'

'Baby, an I sho' don’t wanna go

I say, 'I'll do anything in the world for ya

'But I don’t wanna go down to that welfare sto', now

Well now, me an my baby we talked yesterday

An we talked in my backyard

She said, 'I'll take care-a you, Sonny Boy

Just as long as these times stay hard'

An I told her, 'Yeah, baby an I sho' won’t have to go'

I said, 'If you do that for me

I won’t have to go down to that welfare sto'