Lyrics: Noah Lewis
Music: Noah Lewis
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it (note1)Notes
The clerk he wrote it down indeed-e
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down
If you miss jail sentence, you'll be Nashville bound (note2)
Some got six months, some got one solid
Some got one solid year, indeed-e
Some got six months, some got one solid year
But me and my buddy, we got lifetime here
I wrote a letter, mailed it in the
Mailed it in the air, indeed-e
I wrote a letter, mailed it in the air
You may know my brother, I've got a friend somewhere (note3)
Read it and eat it, turkey crowed itGrahame Lesh in a 2018 Reddit thread said "We even added a verse to Viola Lee Blues that Alex Jordan wrote." That addiotional verse been played by Midnight North, but I'm not sure if it's yet featured with Phil Lesh and the Terrapin Fanily Band.
Down de levee, candy coated
Read it and eat it, candy coated down
If you miss jail sentence, it's your own damn fault
Got my ticket, and I'll be leaving
I'll be leaving in the morning
In the morning, I'll be leaving town
Chained and shackled, I'll be beaten down
Grateful Dead Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | ||||
Jul 1966 | Birth Of The Dead (note 3) | ||||
3 Jul 1966 | 30 Trips Around The Sun | ||||
29 Jul 1966 | The Grateful Dead: 50th Anniversary Edition | ||||
studio 1967 | The Grateful Dead (note 4) | ||||
Fillmore 1967 | Grateful Dead Documentary (note 5) | ||||
3 Sep 1967 | The Grateful Dead (note 6) | ||||
10 Nov 1967 | 30 Trips Around The Sun (note 7) | ||||
20 Jan 1968 | Road Trips Volume 2, Number 2 | ||||
23 Jan 1968 | Road Trips Volume 2, Number 2 (bonus disc) | ||||
23 Feb 1968 | Dick's Picks Vol 22 | ||||
26 Apr 1969 | Fallout From The Phil Zone | ||||
2 May 1970 | Dick's Picks Vol 8 | ||||
Other Recordings | |||||
Date | Album | Recorded By | |||
1992 | Twilight Dance | Solar Circus | |||
2004 | Werewolves Of Atlanta: Halloween 2004 | Dark Star Orchestra | |||
2008 | 30 Years | Jake's Leg |
The judge he pleaded, the clerk he wrote itGus Cannon also recorded a version with a different final verse (thanks to Gene Baran for pointing me to this):
The clerk he wrote it down indeed-e
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down
If you miss jail sinner, you must be Nashville bound
Some got six months, some got one solid
Some got one solid year, indeed-y
Some got six months, some got one solid year
But me and my buddy, both got lifetime here
I wrote a letter, mailed it in the
Mailed it in the air indeed Lord
I wrote a letter, mailed it in the air
You may know by that I have a friend somewhere
Fix my supper mama, let me go toA very similar version, recorded about the same time, is by Noah Lewis. It has the "Fix my supper ..." final verse.
Let me go to bed indeed lord
Fix my supper, let me go to bed
I been drinkin' white lightnin'
It's gone to my head
Now the police coming with his ball and chainI have seen references to "Viola Lee Blues" being derived from an earlier song "99 Year Blues" by Julius Daniels:
Police coming with his ball and chain
And they accusing me of murder, never harmed a man
Now some got six months, some got one solid year
Some got six months, some got one solid year
Now me and my buddy got a lifetime here
Now the judge he pleaded, clerk, he wrote it down
Judge he pleaded, clerk, he wrote it down
That if I miss jail sentence now, must be Joliet bound
Now cook my supper, let me go to bed
Cook my supper now, let me go to bed
I've been drinking white lightning and it's gone to my head
Now you quit me baby, first thing you want to do
Quit me baby, first thing you want to do
Some day you gonna want me, cinch and I won't want you
Now the police shivved his old pistol in my side
Police shivved his old pistol in my side
Said if you run big boy, now, must be born to die
When they had my trial, you could not be found
Had my trial, you could not be found
Now I done got all messed up and I'm Joliet bound
"Julius Daniels came from Denmark, SC and recorded this song in Atlanta in 1927. He was one of the first southeastern bluesmen to make records. A version of this song was adapted to become "Viola Lee Blues" by Cannon's Jug Stompers, covered by the Grateful Dead."I can't see myself much connection between the two songs. Nor to other songs titled "Ninety Nine Year Blues," such as Pigpen's early version. These are the lyrics for the Julius Daniels song:
Bring me my pistol, three rounds of ballOne partial source for "Viola Lee Blues" is "Chain Gang Blues," recorded by Ma Rainey in 1925. This has an opening verse:
I'm gonna kill everybody [what this] poor boy lost
Poor boy lost, poor boy lost
Poor boy lost, poor boy lost
On a Monday I was arrested, on a Tuesday, I was tried
Judge found me guilty and I hung my head and cried
Lord and cried, Lord and cried
Lord and cried, Lord and cried
I asked the judge what would be my fine
Says a pick and a shovel down Joe Brown's coal mine
Coal mine, coal mine
Coal mine, coal mine, coal mine
[?] the judge, I've been here before
You can [?] don't come back here no more
No more, no more
No more, no more, ah Lord
The judge found me guilty, the clerk he wrote it downSonny Boy Williamson recorded a song "Life Time Blues" in 1939 that is clearly the same song as "Viola Lee Blues" - indeed, it is sometimes credited to Noah Lewis:
The judge found me guilty, the clerk he wrote it down
Just a poor gal in trouble, I know I'm county road bound
Fix my supper and let me go toNone of these, apart from one of the Gus Cannon's versions, has the verse "I wrote a letter, mailed it in the air". The only other source I can find for that is on a 1924 single by Sippie Wallace titled "Shorty George Blues". The first verse of that is:
And let me go to bed, indeed Lord
Fix my supper and let me go to bed
Now I've been drinking white lightning
It's done gone to my head
The judge he pleaded, the clerk he wrote it
The clerk he wrote it, down indeed, Lord
The judge he pleaded, the clerk he wrote it down
Now I say, if you miss the jail, sinner
You must be Nashville bound
Some got six months, some got one solid
Some got one solid year, indeed Lord
Some got six months, some got one solid year
Now well, me an Walter Davis
We both got a life time here
I wrote a letter and mailed it in the air
I wrote a letter and I mailed it in the air
You can tell by that I've got a friend somewhere