Saint Louis Blues

Lyrics: W.C.Handy
Music: W.C.Handy

Sung by Robert Hunter with the Dinosaurs in the 1980s.

I hate to see that evening sun go down
I hate to see that evening sun go down
Since that woman of mine done left this town

I got the Saint Louis blues, Lord, blue, blue as I can be
You know that woman got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
I got the Saint Louis blues, Lord, this is plain to see

If I feel tomorrow the way I feel today
If I feel tomorrow the way I feel today
I'm gonna pack up my bags, yeah, and make my getaway

If it weren't for her powder and all her stovepipe hair
If it weren't for that powder and her peroxide hair
You know the woman I love could not have gone nowhere

I got the Saint Louis blues, Lord, just as blue as I can be
That woman got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
I got the Saint Louis blues, Lord, as you can plainly see

I got the Saint Louis blues, Lord, blue, blue as I can be
That woman got a heart like a rock cast in the sea
I got the Saint Louis blues, Lord, this is plain to see

I hate to see that evening sun go down
I hate to see that evening sun go down
Since that woman of mine done left this town

I hate to see de ev'nin' sun go down
Hate to see de evenin' sun go down
Cause my baby, he done lef dis town
Feelin' tomorrow lak Ah feel today
Feel tomorrow lak Ah feel today
I'll pack my trunk, make ma get away

St. Louis woman wid her diamon' rings
Pulls dat man roun' by her apron strings
'Twant for powder an' for store bought hair
De man I love would not gone nowhere

Got de St. Louis Blues jes as blue as Ah can be
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
Doggone it!

I loves dat man lak a school boy loves his pie
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye
I'll love ma baby till the day Ah die

Been to de Gypsy to get ma fortune tole
To de Gypsy done got ma fortune tole
Cause I'm most wile 'bout ma Jelly Roll
Gypsy done tole me, "don't you wear no black"
Yes she done tole me "don't you wear no black"
Go to St. Louis, you can win him back

Help me to Cairo, make St. Louis by maself
Git to Cairo, find ma ole friend Jeff
Gwine to pin maself close to his side
If ah flag his train, I sho' can ride

Got de St. Louis Blues jes as blue as Ah can be
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
Doggone it!

I loves dat man lak a school boy loves his pie
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye
I'll love ma baby till the day Ah die

You ought to see dat stovepipe brown of mine
Lak he owns de Dimon Joseph line
He'd make a cross-eyed o' man go stone blind
Blacker than midnight, teeth lak flags of truce
Blackest man in de whole St. Louis
Blacker de berry, sweeter is the juice

About a crap game he knows a pow'ful lot
But when worktime comes he's on de dot
Gwine to ask him for a cold ten spot
What it takes to git it, he's cert'nly got

Got de St. Louis Blues jes as blue as Ah can be
Dat man got a heart lak a rock cast in the sea
Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me
Doggone it!

I loves dat man lak a school boy loves his pie
Lak a Kentucky Col'nel loves his mint an' rye
I'll love ma baby till the day Ah die

A black headed gal make a freight train jump the track
Said a black headed gal make a freight train jump the track
But a long tall gal makes a preacher ball the Jack

Lawd a blonde headed woman makes a good man leave the town
I said blonde headed woman makes a good man leave the town
But a red head woman makes a boy slap his papa down

Oh ashes to ashes and dust to dust
I said ashes to ashes and dust to dust
If my blues don't get you, my jazzing must