Viola Lee Blues

Lyrics: Noah Lewis
Music: Noah Lewis

The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it (note1)
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 it
Down de levee, candy coated
Read it and eat it, candy coated down
If you miss jail sentence, it's your own damn fault"

The judge he pleaded, the clerk he wrote it
The clerk he wrote it down indeed-e
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down
If you miss jail sentence, 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
But me and my buddy, we got lifetime here

Fix my supper, mama, let me go to
Let me go to bed, indeed Lord
Fix my supper, let me go to bed
I've been drinking white lightning, and it just gone to my head

Now the police coming with his ball and chain
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."

Bring me my pistol, three rounds of ball
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 down
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 to
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