My Black Mama

Oh, black mama, what's the matter with you?

Said, if it ain't satisfactory, don't care what I do

Hey, mama, what's the matter with you?

Said, if it ain't satisfactory, baby, don't care what I do

You take a brownskin woman'll make a rabbit move to town

Say, but a jet-black woman'll make a mule kick his stable down

Oh, a brownskin woman will make a rabbit move to town

Oh, but a real black woman'll make a mule kick his stable down

Say, t'ain't no heaven, say, there ain't no burnin' hell

Say, where I'm going when I die, can't nobody tell

Oh, there ain't no heaven, now, there ain't no burnin' hell

Oh, where I'm going when I die, can't nobody tell

Well, my black mama's face shine like the sun

Oh, lipstick and powder sure won't help her none

My black mama's face shine like the sun

Oh, lipstick and powder, well, they sure won't help her none

Well, you see my milk cow, tell her to hurry home

I ain't had no milk cow since that cow been gone

If you see my milk cow, tell her to hurry home

Yeah, I ain't had no milk cow since that cow been gone

Well, I'm going to the race track to see my pony run

He ain't the best in the world, but he's a runnin' son-of-a-gun

I'm going to the race track to see my pony run

He ain't the best in the world, but he's a runnin' son-of-a-gun

Oh, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul

Wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold

Oh, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul

Wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold

Part Two

Hey, I solemnly swear, Lord, I raise my right hand

That I'm goin' get me a woman, you get you another man

I solemnly swear, Lord, I raise my right hand

That I'm goin' get me a woman, you get you another man

I got a letter this morning, how do you reckon it read?

"Oh, hurry, hurry, gal, you love is dead"

I got a letter this morning, how do you reckon it read?

"Oh, hurry, hurry, gal, you love is dead"

I grabbed my suitcase, I took off, up the road

I got there, she was laying on the cooling board

I grabbed my suitcase, I took on up the road

I got there, she was laying on the cooling board

Well, I walked up close, I looked down in her face

Good old gal, you got to lay here till Judgment Day

I walked up close, and I looked down in her face

Yes, been a good old gal, got to lay here till Judgment Day

(spoken: Aw sho' now, I feel low-down this evenin'!)

Oh, my woman so black, she shays apart of this town

Can't nothin' "go" when the poor girl is around

My black mama stays apart of this town

Oh, can't nothing "go" when the poor girl is around

Oh, some people tell me the worried blues ain't bad

It's the worst old feelin' that I ever had

Some people tell me the worried blues ain't bad

Buddy, the worst old feelin', Lord, I ever had

Hmmm, I fold my arms, and I walked away

"That's all right, mama, your trouble will come someday"

I fold my arms, Lord, I walked away

Say, "That's all right, mama, your trouble will come someday"