That's All Right, Mama

Lyrics: Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup
Music: Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup

This was played once by the Grateful Dead in 1973 and once in 1986. It was also played frequently by Jerry with Merl Saunders and with the Jerry Garcia Band.

The lyrics below are from the Grateful Dead's 1973 version.

My Mama told me, Papa done told me too
That gal you're foolin' with, she ain't no good for you
But that's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

One and one is two, two and two is four
Don't leave me baby when you walk [out the door] (note 1)
That's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

That's all right Mama, that's all right with you
That's all right Mama, anyway you do
But that's all right, that's all right
That's all right Mama, anyway you do

My Mama told me, Papa done told me too
That gal you're foolin' with, she ain't no good for you
But that's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

Right now Mama, anyway you do

Notes
(1) Garcia misses the end of this line
(2) There is some confuson over the title. The original Arthur Crudup recording lists the title as "That's All Right", but most subsequent versions use the title "That's All Right, Mama" or "That's All Right (Mama)." This may be to distinguish it from the Jimmy Rogers song "That's Allright" (see Who's Loving You Tonight for the lyrics of that song).

Grateful Dead Recordings
Date	Album
10 Jun 1973	Here Comes Sunshine

Jerry Garcia Recordings
Date	Album	Recorded By
23 Jan 1973	Garcia Live Volume 12	Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders
5 Jul 1973	Garcia Live Volume 6	Garcia/Saunders
11 Jul 1973	Keystone Companions: The Complete 1973 Fantasy Recordings	Garcia/Saunders
29 Feb 1980	Way After Midnight	Jerry Garcia Band
1 Mar 1980	Garcia Live Volume 1	Jerry Garcia Band

Roots
I'm not sure exactly of the source from which Jerry Garcia learnt the song: his lyrics are slightly different from both the Arthur Crudup's original (see below) and the well-known Elvis Presley version. It's possible it's half-remembered from versions he had heard, rather than specifically learnt from one source.

Arthur Cruddup's lyrics were:

That's all right now Mama, that's all right with you
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do
But that's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

Well my Mama she done told me, Papa told me too
The life you're living, son, now women be the death of you
But that's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

Baby, one and one is two, two and two is four
I love that woman but I got to let her go
That's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

Babe, now if you don't want me, why not tell me so
You won't be bothered with me round your house no more
That's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

That's all right, that's all right
That's all right now Mama, anyway you do

DeadBase XI lists an earlier 1932 recording by Big Bill Broonzy under the title "Alright Mama Blues." I can't find any other references to that song - it's not in Big Bill Broonzy's "Complete Recorded Works" issued by Document. There is a later Broonzy song called "That's All Right, Baby," but that bears very little relation to "That's All Right Mama".

... my baby
I'll give you all my dough
Now since I ain't got no job, baby
You tell me to sleep on the floor
But that's all right
Yes, I'm not proud, that's all right
Yeah that's all right, baby, I will overcome it someday

Note also that "Big Bill Blues" (Broonzy's signature tune) contains the refrain "That's all right, I will be up someday," but is otherwise unrelated to "That's All Right Mama".

Further Information
For more information on recordings see Matt Schofield's Grateful Dead Family Discography
For online chords and TAB see www.rukind.com