The Murder Ballad
by
Jelly Roll Morton
1
I
know you’ve got my man
I
know you’ve got my man
Try
to hold him if you can
I
know that man don’t want nobody but me
I
know my man don’t want nobody but me
If
you don’t believe it, I’ve got his room key
If
you don’t leave my fucking man alone
If
you don’t leave my fucking man alone
You
won’t know what way that you will go home
I’ll
cut your throat and drink your fucking blood like wine
Bitch,
I’ll cut your fucking throat and drink your blood like wine
Because
I want you to know he’s a man of mine
I
told you once, I’m not gonna tell you anymo’
I
told you once, I’m not gonna tell you anymo’
Right
into the barren ground your big black ass will go
I’m
gonna tell him, I’m gonna tell him ‘bout you
I’m
gonna tell him, I’m gonna tell him ‘bout you
He’ll
either have me, or he won’t have you, too
Let
me tell you one of the things that I’ve said
Let
me tell you one of the things that I’ve said
The
bitch that fucks my man, they’ll find among the dead
I
know you don’t believe a thing that I say
I
know you don’t believe a thing that I say
If
you don’t leave my man alone they’ll find you every Decoration Day
2
Let
me tell you, don’t want to tell you anymore
Let
me tell you, don’t want to tell you anymore
I
catch you again, you’ll be on that floor
If
I see my man hanging round your door
If
I see my man hanging round your door
If
I see my man hanging round your door
Tell
me, baby, what you doin’ comin’ out that bitch’s house?
Tell
me, baby, what you doin’ comin’ out that bitch’s house?
I
don’t think she’s no good, she’s a great big louse
If
she comes out here, that’ll be her last time
(What
you said?)
I
said, if you come out here, that’ll be your last time
I’ll
teach you some lessons ‘bout fucking a man of mine
She
said, I’m coming out, I’d like to see someone stop me
She
said, I’m coming out, I’d like to see a bitch like you stop me
This
ain’t no slavery time and I’m sure that I’m free
Yes,
come on, bitch, your day has come
Yes,
come on, bitch, your day has come
You
fucked my man but you will never fuck another one
She
pulled out a pistol and shot her right in her eyes
She
pulled out a pistol and shot her right in her eyes
She
said, open your legs, you dirty bitch, I’m gonna shoot you between your thighs
She
said I killed that bitch because she fucked my man
She
said I killed that bitch because she fucked my man
She
said I killed that bitch because she fucked my man
Policeman
grabbed her and took her to jail
Policeman
grabbed her and took her to jail
There
was no one to go that poor gal’s bail
3
She
got in the jailhouse, they asked you what you there for?
Her
inmates in the jailhouse: what are you here for?
She
said, I killed that bitch, that’s what I’m here for
You
a murderer, that’s why you in jail
You
a murderer, that’s why you in jail
They
had you pretty soon, they was on your trail
(Oh,
that good whiskey makes me moan!)
Her
trial came up, she was in front of the judge
Her
trial came up, she was in front of the judge
Her
attorney tried to give the judge a nudge
The
jury said, that girl is here
The
jury said, that girl is here
The
jury said, that murdering girl is here
The
prosecutor said, today we dishing out years
Prosecutor
said, today, gal, we dishing out years
So
be careful, don’t have your fears (?)
She
said, judge, I killed her ‘cause she had my man
She
said, I killed her because she had my man
I
killed that bitch ‘cause she had my man
I’d
rather be dead in my grave than hear that bitch havin’ my sweet man
I’d
rather be dead and green than hear her havin’ my sweet man
I’d
be dead in grave, let her have my sweet man
Jury
found her guilty, she must go to jail
Jury
found her guilty, she must go to jail
Up
the river, to Baton Rouge is her trail
Judge
said, fifty years for killing the woman that loved your man
Judge
said, fifty years for the woman you killed loving your man
I
wish that I could help you, but I’m sure that I can’t
So
the poor gal has took her way to that mournful jail
4
They
brought that gal to the prison gates
They
brought that gal to the prison gates
They
brought that gal to the prison gates
The
keeper said, hard labor is your task
Yes,
the keeper said, hard labor is your task
There’s
anymore questions, don’t you forget to ask
Your
number is nine ninety-three
Your
prison number is nine ninety-three
Start
to working right under that great big tree
Coffee
and bread is all that you will get
Coffee
and bread is all that you will get
Outside
when it rain, you are sure to get wet
Don’t
you wish you hadda let that woman have your man?
Don’t
you wish you hadda let that woman have your man?
There
is a lotta others that you could have had your man
Time
is comin’ that a woman don’t need no man
(That’s
what she said when she was in jail)
Time
is comin’ a woman don’t need no man
You
can get it off with your beautiful hand
Woman,
woman, what have you been doing?
Woman,
woman, what have you been doing?
This
jailhouse has brought you way out to ruin
I
can’t have a man, so a woman is my next bet
I
can’t have a man in here; a woman is my next bet
She
said to a good-looking mama: baby, I’ll get you yet
They
went to sleep that night, the other gal crawled in her bed
They
went just to sleep that night, the other gal crawled in her bed
She
said, I’m gonna get some of this cunt, you bitch, she said
5
She
said, gal, when I get through you’ll think I’m a man
She
said, when I get through you’ll think that I’m a man
I’m
gonna fuck you bitch that you think I’m a man
She
had a thing just the same as mine
She
had a thing just the same as mine
We
rub together – my, but it was fine
She
said, I could learn to love you like I did that boy
She
said, I should learn to love you like I did that boy
To
play with my thing like that is pleasure like a toy
Every
morning I want you to give me some of this good cunt you’ve got
Every
morning I want you to give me some of this good cunt you’ve got
Because
it sure is fine, it is good and hot
(piano
solo)
I
want you to screw me, screw me like a dog
Screw
me behind, sweet bitch, screw me like a dog
When
it gets good, I want to holler out like a hog
Years
and years I could take a prick just like a mule
I
could take a great big prick just like a great big mule
I
found out what a big damn fool
I
hustled night and day for that man of mine
I
hustled day and night for that man of mine
Now
I’m screwed, I’m behind the walls for a long time
6
Ask
my sisters, please don’t be like me
Ask
my sisters, please don’t be like me
It’s
better to have the things you don’t want and go free
Now
I’m back here for my natural life
I’m
back here for my natural life
All
I had, I ain’t got nothing but my life
If
the guards of heaven would show me how
If
the gods of heaven would show me how
I
could get away from here, I would leave right now
Prison
walls is not made for people to go
Prison
walls ain’t made for people to go
I
killed that gal, but I never will know
I’m
sorry, sorry, sorry to my heart
I’m
sorry, babe, sorry to my heart
I’m
sorry that that argument ever did start
I’m
in jail now, and he’s got him another bitch
Yes,
I’m in jail, and my man’s got another bitch
I
hate him, too – he’s a dirty rotten son of a bitch
I
pray and pray and pray and pray and pray
I
pray and pray and pray and pray
That
the Lord will show me another day
I
jeopardized my life for that no good man
I
jeopardized my life for that no good man
I
jeopardized my life for that no good man
And
at last, there’s nothing else for me to do
At
last there’s nothing else for me to do
I’m
gonna die in here, and I hope my man does, too
Goodbye
to the world, and I am gone
Goodbye
to the world because I know I’m gone
Goodbye
all good people, I know I’m gone
7
Goodbye
to the world I know I’m gone
Goodbye
to the world because I know I’m gone
And
I’ll be gone out a long, long, long
(piano
solo)
I
hope heaven will be my home
I
hope heaven will be my home
No
more on this earth for me to roam
Sinners,
sinners, won’t you pray for me?
Sinners,
sinners, won’t you pray for me?
Pray
for me to let the devil let me be
When
I’m dead, and dead way down in my grave
When
I’m dead, dead way down in my grave
No
more good peter of that man I’ll crave
I
won’t be buried like all of my family was
I
won’t be buried like my family was
I
won’t be buried like my family was
They
will put me in a box in the prison yard
They
will put me in a box in the prison yard
Not
even a tombstone, or not even a card
There
won’t be no body followin’ behind my self
There
won’t be no body followin’, it will be me by myself
They’ll
lower me in the ground, I won’t be on the shelf
If
you get outta here, try to be a good girl
(ah,
I hadda tell em)
Girls,
if you get out of here, try to be a good girl
That’s
the only way you gonna wear your diamonds and pearls
