Beale Street Blues

I've seen the lights of gay broadway

Old market street down by the frisco bay

I've strolled the prado, I've gambled on the bourse

The seven wonders of the world I've seen

And many are the places I have been

Take my advice folks and see beale street first

You'll see tailor mades and hand me downs

You'll meet honest men and pickpockets skilled

You'll find that bus'ness never closes till somebody gets killed

You'll see jugs that tell of bygone days

And places, once places, now just a shame

You'll see golden balls enough to pave the new jerusalem

Who come to beale for inspiration

Politicians call you a dub

Unless you've been initiated in the rickriters club

Married men would have to take their beds and walk

Except one or two, who never drank booze

And the blind man on the corner who sings the beale street blues

The blues: I'd rather be here, than any place I know

I'd rather be here, than any place I know

It's goin' to take the seargent for to make me go

Goin' to the river, maybe, bye and bye

Goin' to the river, maybe, bye and bye

Because the rivers wet and beale street's done gone dry