the murder ballad by jelly roll morton, complete lyrics
So, I’m wandering the net trying to find a complete version of the lyrics to The Murder Ballad by Jelly Roll Morton, and to my great surprise it just ain’t there. I kind of needed it to complete an essay I promised to the internetually famous and too-cool-for-school Largeheartedboy (to whom I thank for the invitation), so, what the hell, I decided to transcribe it and post it here myself. After all, I type and dictate like a pro. Tippity-tap-tap.
I’ll include a link to the Largeheartedboy essay when it’s done, but in the meantime here’s some basic facts about The Murder Ballad:
In 1938, the great music archivist Alan Lomax liquored up New Orleans jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton and cajoled him into playing one of the tunes that he used to play and sing in the Storyville brothels of New Orleans at the turn of the century. The liquor must have been damn fine, because Mr. Jelly Lord swaggered drunkenly into a 30 minute epic blues tale which you will find below. Because it was recorded directly to aluminum disc, the tune is broken into 7 parts (the discs could only hold around 4 minutes apiece), but the result is still pretty phenomenal. I would actually call this one of the most historically important recordings ever. So sez me.
I’m putting it under the cut because it is nasty as hell. When I say nasty, I mean even by today’s standards. If you are tender of heart, do not peek behind the cut. Storyville was not Disneyland.
*
The Murder Ballad by Jelly Roll Morton
1
I know you’ve got my man
I know you’ve got my man
Try to hold him if you can
I know that man don’t want nobody but me
I know my man don’t want nobody but me
If you don’t believe it, I’ve got his room key
If you don’t leave my fucking man alone
If you don’t leave my fucking man alone
You won’t know what way that you will go home
I’ll cut your throat and drink your fucking blood like wine
Bitch, I’ll cut your fucking throat and drink your blood like wine
Because I want you to know he’s a man of mine
I told you once, I’m not gonna tell you anymo’
I told you once, I’m not gonna tell you anymo’
Right into the barren ground your big black ass will go
I’m gonna tell him, I’m gonna tell him ‘bout you
I’m gonna tell him, I’m gonna tell him ‘bout you
He’ll either have me, or he won’t have you, too
Let me tell you one of the things that I’ve said
Let me tell you one of the things that I’ve said
The bitch that fucks my man, they’ll find among the dead
I know you don’t believe a thing that I say
I know you don’t believe a thing that I say
If you don’t leave my man alone they’ll find you every Decoration Day
2
Let me tell you, don’t want to tell you anymore
Let me tell you, don’t want to tell you anymore
I catch you again, you’ll be on that floor
If I see my man hanging round your door
If I see my man hanging round your door
If I see my man hanging round your door
Tell me, baby, what you doin’ comin’ out that bitch’s house?
Tell me, baby, what you doin’ comin’ out that bitch’s house?
I don’t think she’s no good, she’s a great big louse
If she comes out here, that’ll be her last time
(What you said?)
I said, if you come out here, that’ll be your last time
I’ll teach you some lessons ‘bout fucking a man of mine
She said, I’m coming out, I’d like to see someone stop me
She said, I’m coming out, I’d like to see a bitch like you stop me
This ain’t no slavery time and I’m sure that I’m free
Yes, come on, bitch, your day has come
Yes, come on, bitch, your day has come
You fucked my man but you will never fuck another one
She pulled out a pistol and shot her right in her eyes
She pulled out a pistol and shot her right in her eyes
She said, open your legs, you dirty bitch, I’m gonna shoot you between your thighs
She said I killed that bitch because she fucked my man
She said I killed that bitch because she fucked my man
She said I killed that bitch because she fucked my man
Policeman grabbed her and took her to jail
Policeman grabbed her and took her to jail
There was no one to go that poor gal’s bail
3
She got in the jailhouse, they asked you what you there for?
Her inmates in the jailhouse: what are you here for?
She said, I killed that bitch, that’s what I’m here for
You a murder, that’s why you in jail
You a murderer, that’s why you in jail
They had you pretty soon, they was on your trail
(Oh, that good whiskey makes me moan!)
Her trial came up, she was in front of the judge
Her trial came up, she was in front of the judge
Her attorney tried to give the judge a nudge
The jury said, that girl is here
The jury said, that girl is here
The jury said, that murdering girl is here
The prosecutor said, today we dishing out years
Prosecutor said, today, gal, we dishing out years
So be careful, don’t have your fears (?)
She said, judge, I killed her ‘cause she had my man
She said, I killed her because she had my man
I killed that bitch ‘cause she had my man
I’d rather be dead in my grave than hear that bitch havin’ my sweet man
I’d rather be dead and green than hear her havin’ my sweet man
I’d be dead in grave, let her have my sweet man
Jury found her guilty, she must go to jail
Jury found her guilty, she must go to jail
Up the river, to Baton Rouge is her trail
Judge said, fifty years for killing the woman that loved your man
Judge said, fifty years for the woman you killed loving your man
I wish that I could help you, but I’m sure that I can’t
So the poor gal has took her way to that mournful jail
4
They brought that gal to the prison gates
They brought that gal to the prison gates
They brought that gal to the prison gates
The keeper said, hard labor is your task
Yes, the keeper said, hard labor is your task
There’s anymore questions, don’t you forget to ask
Your number is nine ninety-three
Your prison number is nine ninety-three
Start to working right under that great big tree
Coffee and bread is all that you will get
Coffee and bread is all that you will get
Outside when it rain, you are sure to get wet
Don’t you wish you hadda let that woman have your man?
Don’t you wish you hadda let that woman have your man?
There is a lotta others that you could have had your man
Time is comin’ that a woman don’t need no man
(That’s what she said when she was in jail)
Time is comin’ a woman don’t need no man
You can get it off with your beautiful hand
Woman, woman, what have you been doing?
Woman, woman, what have you been doing?
This jailhouse has brought you way out to ruin
I can’t have a man, so a woman is my next bet
I can’t have a man in here; a woman is my next bet
She said to a good-looking mama: baby, I’ll get you yet
They went to sleep that night, the other gal crawled in her bed
They went just to sleep that night, the other gal crawled in her bed
She said, I’m gonna get some of this cunt, you bitch, she said
5
She said, gal, when I get through you’ll think I’m a man
She said, when I get through you’ll think that I’m a man
I’m gonna fuck you bitch that you think I’m a man
She had a thing just the same as mine
She had a thing just the same as mine
We rub together - my, but it was fine
She said, I could learn to love you like I did that boy
She said, I should learn to love you like I did that boy
To play with my thing like that is pleasure like a toy
Every morning I want you to give me some of this good cunt you’ve got
Every morning I want you to give me some of this good cunt you’ve got
Because it sure is fine, it is good and hot
(piano solo)
I want you to screw me, screw me like a dog
Screw me behind, sweet bitch, screw me like a dog
When it gets good, I want to holler out like a hog
Years and years I could take a prick just like a mule
I could take a great big prick just like a great big mule
I found out what a big damn fool
I hustled night and day for that man of mine
I hustled day and night for that man of mine
Now I’m screwed, I’m behind the walls for a long time
6
Ask my sisters, please don’t be like me
Ask my sisters, please don’t be like me
It’s better to have the things you don’t want and go free
Now I’m back here for my natural life
I’m back here for my natural life
All I had, I ain’t got nothing but my life
If the guards of heaven would show me how
If the gods of heaven would show me how
I could get away from here, I would leave right now
Prison walls is not made for people to go
Prison walls ain’t made for people to go
I killed that gal, but I never will know
I’m sorry, sorry, sorry to my heart
I’m sorry, babe, sorry to my heart
I’m sorry that that argument ever did start
I’m in jail now, and he’s got him another bitch
Yes, I’m in jail, and my man’s got another bitch
I hate him, too - he’s a dirty rotten son of a bitch
I pray and pray and pray and pray and pray
I pray and pray and pray and pray
That the Lord will show me another day
I jeopardized my life for that no good man
I jeopardized my life for that no good man
I jeopardized my life for that no good man
And at last, there’s nothing else for me to do
At last there’s nothing else for me to do
I’m gonna die in here, and I hope my man does, too
Goodbye to the world, and I am gone
Goodbye to the world because I know I’m gone
Goodbye all good people, I know I’m gone
7
Goodbye to the world I know I’m gone
Goodbye to the world because I know I’m gone
And I’ll be gone out a long, long, long
(piano solo)
I hope heaven will be my home
I hope heaven will be my home
No more on this earth for me to roam
Sinners, sinners, won’t you pray for me?
Sinners, sinners, won’t you pray for me?
Pray for me to let the devil let me be
When I’m dead, and dead way down in my grave
When I’m dead, dead way down in my grave
No more good peter of that man I’ll crave
I won’t be buried like all of my family was
I won’t be buried like my family was
I won’t be buried like my family was
They will put me in a box in the prison yard
They will put me in a box in the prison yard
Not even a tombstone, or not even a card
There won’t be no body followin’ behind my self
There won’t be no body followin’, it will be me by myself
They’ll lower me in the ground, I won’t be on the shelf
If you get outta here, try to be a good girl
(ah, I hadda tell em)
Girls, if you get out of here, try to be a good girl
That’s the only way you gonna wear your diamonds and pearls
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