The Rich Old Lady - Alan Lomax

Once I knowed old lady

Round Tennessee did dwell

She had a lovin' husband

But she loved other mens as well

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

I’m goin' down to the doctor’s shop

Just as quick as I can go

See if I can’t find sumpen 'round that place

That’ll run my husband blind

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

She only found two marrowbone

An' she told them to suck them all

An says, Now I’m blind my dear young wife

An' I jes' can’t see at all

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Well, I would go and drown myself

If I only knew the way

Says, Now my dear come and go with me

Mother’s fraid you’ll run astray

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Goes way down by the riverside

For to see her old man drown

My dear kind wife, I cannot drown

Unless you shove me in

She gits way back, takes a little runnin' start

Gonna shove her old man in

Old man jumps just a little to one side

And a-headlong she plunged in

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

She whooped and she hollered

Just as loud as any woman could squall

Old man knows his sweet wife’s dyin'

An' cannot see at all

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Ol' man bein' so kind-hearted

Knowin' too his sweet wife could not swim

Reahed right down and git a long pole

And he shoves her further in

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Come all you hasty young women

An' take warnin' after me

Don’t never try to drown a po' old man

That’s blind so he cannot see

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O

Love my darlin' O