Singing About Life

Jimmie Rogers Lyrics

I am going to be typing up some of Otis favorite Jimmie Roger's songs.
My favorite was always "Peach Picking Time in Georgia," although it
wasn't officially a blue yodel.  Penelope

Peach Picking Time in Georgia

When its peach pickin time in Georgia
Apple pickin time in Tennesee
Cotton pickin time in Mississippi
Everybody picks on me
When its roundup time in Texas
The Cowboys make Whoopee
And way down in old Alabamy
Its gal pickin time to me.

There's the bluegrass in old Kentucky
Virginia's where they do the swing
Carolina now I'm coming to you
Coming just to spend the spring
Arkansas I hear you calling
I know I'll see you soon
There is where we'll do some pickin
Beneath that ole Ozark moon.

When the cotton pickers pick the cotton
Thats the time I'll pick the wedding ring
We'll go to town a pick a little gown
For the wedding in the Spring
Hope the preacher knows his business
I know he can't fool me
When its peach pickin time in Georgia
Its gal pickin time for me

HOBO BILL'S LAST RIDE
Recorded by Jimmie Rodgers
Words and music by MacWilliams and Rodgers
[C] Riding on an East-bound freight train, [F] speeding thru the [C] night
[F] Hobo Bill, [C] a railroad bum, was [D] fighting for his [G7] life ...
The [C] sadness of his eyes revealed the [F] torture of his [C] soul
He [F] raised a weak and [C] weary hand to [G7] brush away the [C] cold.
YODEL: [C] Ho-ho-o [G7] Bo-o-o [C] Bil-lie!
No warm light flickers around him, no blankets there to fold
Nothing but, the howling wind and the driving rain, so cold ...
When he heard a whistle blow, in a dreamy kind of way
The hobo seemed contented for he smiled there where he lay.
YODEL: [C] Ho-ho-o [G7] Bo-o-o [C] Bil-lie!
Outside the rain was fallin' on that lonesome boxcar door
But the little form of Hobo Bill lay still upon the floor ...
As the train sped thru the darkness and the raging storm outside
No one knew that Hobo Bill was taking his last ride.
TRAIN WHISTLE
It was early in the mornin' when they raised the hobo's head
The smile still lingered on his face, but Hobo Bill was dead ...
There was no mother's longin', to soothe his weary soul
For he was just a railroad bum, who died out in the cold.
TRAIN WHISTLE fade

IN THE JAILHOUSE NOW - No. 2
Words and music by Jimmie Rodgers
[D] I had a friend named Campbell
He used to rob, steal and gamble
He tried ev'rything that was low-[G] down
He was out tom-cattin' one night
When he started a big fight
Then a [A] big policeman [E] came and knocked him [A] down.
He's in the [D] jailhouse now
He's in the [G] jailhouse now
I [A] told him over again
To quit drinking whiskey
Lay off of that [A7] gin
He's in the [A] jailhouse [D] now. (Yodel)
Campbell broke jail one day
Decided he'd go away
But the police met him at the train
The cop says I've come for you
Campbell says that this won't do
Because Campbell never my name.
He's in the jailhouse now
He's in the jailhouse now
Yes, he broke out
All over town the fool walked about
He's in the jailhouse now. (Yodel)
I met his old gal Sadie
'She said, "Have you seen my baby"
I told her he was downtown in the can
She went down to the jail
Just to go his bail
She said, "I've come down here to get my man."
She's in the jailhouse now
She's in the jailhouse now
So you can understand
Why old kid Sadie's in the can
She's in the jailhouse now. (Yodel)

MOONLIGHT AND SKIES
Recorded by Jimmie Rodgers
Writer: Jimmie Rodgers
1/Oh, [D] come hear my stor-[D7]y, of [G] heartaches and [D] sighs
I'm a pris'ner who's lonely, for my Moonlight And [A7] Skies
[D] I have a sweetheart, who's [G] waiting for me
Back in old Okla-[D]homa, not [A7] far from Shaw-[D]nee.
2/Her lips like the [G] cherries, her little heart [D] cries
Daddy, please come [A7] back, to your moonlight and [D] Skies
My pal's name was [G] Blackie, a lad with true [D] heart
A robb'ry we [A7] planned, so decided to [D] start.
3/I went to my [G] darling, with tears in her [D] eyes
She said, daddy don't [A7] leave me, your Moonlight And [D] Skies
I laughed at her [G] pleading, youth must have its' [D] way
And said I'll be ...[A7] back, in a couple of [D] days.
INSTRUMENTAL NOTES TO YODEL: D/A7/D
4/[D] The next scene was [D7] fatal, with a [G] shot thru his [D] heart
For Blackie died sending love to his sweet-[A7]heart
Go [D] tell her, go tell her, [G] I've sinned, my love
I'll meet her in [D] heaven, with the [A7] angels a-[D]bove.
5/That night I was [G] captured, out under the [D] stars
Now I have last('d) an' [A7] lingered, behind these iron [D] bars
You'll find me at my [G] window, as the day slowly [D] dies
I am dreaming of my [A7] darling and my Moonlight And [D] Skies.
6/A pale Moon is [G] shining, is shining so [D] bright
And lovers are [A7] strolling, by my window to-[D]night
Their laughter so [G] merry, brings heartaches and [D] sighs
To a pris'ner who's [A7] lonely, for the Moonlight And [D] Skies.

T for Texas
Jimmie Rodgers

Well, 'T' for Texas, 'T' for Tennessee
'T' for Texas, 'T' for Tennessee
'T' for Thelma, the gal that made a wreck out of me
If you don't want me mama, you sure don't have to stall
If you don't want me mama, you sure don't have to stall
'Cause I can get more women than a passenger train [can haul]
Well, I'm going where the water drinks like cherry wine
I'm going where the water drinks like cherry wine
'Cause this Georgia water tastes like turpentine
I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log
I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log
Than to be here in Atlanta, [and] get treated like a dirty dog

Women make a fool out of me
If you're ever down in mobile be sure to look me up
If you're ever down in mobile be sure to look me up
And if your ever in Atlanta tell Lucille to go to hell
Women make a fool out of me

"

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