Shel Silverstein – BLIND WILLIE HARPER Lyrics

BLIND WILLIE HARPER
ON A STONE COLD NIGHT IN MEMPHIS
WILLIE HARPER CAME TO TOWN
A BLUE TICK HOUND AT HIS HEELS
AND A DIME IN HIS SHOE....
HE COULD MAKE THAT GUITAR SING
YOU SHOULDA HEARD THE PAVEMENT RING
WHEN BLIND WILLIE HARPER SANG THE BLUES..

AND HE SANG, "HEY GINNY, WHY'D YA GO AND LEAVE ME
ALL ALONE IN THE DARK THIS WAY,
HEY GINNY,WHY'D YA GO AND LEAVE ME
WITH THESE BLIND MAN DUES TO PAY,
AND ALL THESE BLUES TO PLAY"....

IN THE CRIMSON LIGHT OF BEALE STREET
WILLIE HARPER FOUND A HOME,
JUST CALL OUT ANY SONG, HE DON'T REFUSE,
CLEAN OR DIRTY, WHITE OR BLACK
JUST DROP A NICKEL IN THE HAT
AND HEAR BLIND WILLIE HARPER SING THE BLUES....

ONE NIGHT HE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF A SONG
WHEN A LOVE DEALING LADY WALKED BY,
HE SAID, "YOU SURE SMELL SWEET, LIKE SOMEONE I ONCE KNEW?"
THE LADY LAUGHED, AND SOME WORDS WERE SAID,
HIS KNIFE BLADE SHINED, AND HER BLOOD RAN RED,
AND BLIND WILLIE WALKED OFF SINGING THE BLUES...

ON A STONE COLD NIGHT IN MEMPHIS
THEY TOOK OL' WILLIE DOWN,
THEY CUT OFF HIS HAIR AND
TOOK AWAY HIS HOUND AND HIS SHOES,
AND FROM THE CORNER OF A BEALE STREET JAIL CELL
SAD AS A WHIPOORWILL, AND CLEAR AS A BELL
I HEARD BLIND WILLIE HARPER SING THE BLUES......

CHORUS:

SHEL SILVERSTEIN/JIM CASEY / EVIL EYE MUSIC/ BMI