Lyrics: Chester Burnett (Howlin' Wolf)
Music: Chester Burnett (Howlin' Wolf)
Originally sung with the Grateful Dead by Pigpen, though revived by Bob Weir in the 80's and 90's in an abbreviated version.
Whoa-oh, smokestack lightningNotes
Shining just like gold
Why can't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, stop your train
Let a hobo ride
Why can't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, fare you well
I never see you no more
Why can't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, who bit your baby sister? (note a)
I been gone
A little bitty boy
Turn me on, ooh-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, stop your train
Let a poor boy ride
Why can't you hear me callin'
Stop your train
Let a poor boy ride
[etc]
Whoa-oh, who bit your baby sister?
I been gone
A little bitty boy
Turn me on, ooh-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, fare you well
I never see you no more
Why don't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Don't you hear me cryin' one time
It hurts, yes it do
Ah-ooh
[etc]
Whoa-oh, fare you well
I never see you no more
Why don't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
[etc]
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
21 Dec 1969 | Dave's Picks Volume 6 (Bonus disc) | ||||
8 Feb 1970 | History Of The Grateful Dead Vol 1 (Bear's Choice) (note 1) | ||||
13 Feb 1970 | History Of The Grateful Dead Vol 1 (Bear's Choice) | ||||
19 Feb 1971 | Three From The Vault | ||||
7 Dec 1971 | Dave's Picks Volume 22 | ||||
25 Mar 1972 | Dick's Picks Vol 30 | ||||
24 Jun 1985 | 30 Trips Around The Sun |
Whoa-oh, smokestack lightningHowlin' Wolf in fact recorded an earlier version, under the title "Crying At Daybreak" (thanks to Eric Levy for alerting me to this)
Shining just like gold
Why can't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, tell me baby
What's the matter, yeah
Why don't you hear me cryin'?
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, tell me baby
Where did you spend last night?
Why don't you hear me cryin'?
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, stop your train
Let a poor boy ride
Why can't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, fare you well
I never see you no more
Why don't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, who been your baby since
I been gone
A little bitty boy
[Turn me on] ooh-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoah-oh, tell me baby
What's the matter now
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, day I been out
Long old lonesome day
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Lonesome day
Whoa-oh, smokestack lightning
Shining just like gold
Why can't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, day I been out
Long old, sad old day
Why don't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, blue yeah baby
What you got on your mind
Why don't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Whoa-oh, ain't gonna marry
Ain't gonna settle down
Why don't you hear me cryin'
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh
Ah-ooh