Welfare Store Blues

Welfare Store Track #14 2:48
Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee)
(Walter Roland - 'Red Cross Blues')
John Lee Williamson - vocal and harmonica
with Joshua Altheimer - piano, Fred Williams - drums
Chicago May 17, 1940
Album: 'Sugar Mama'
The Essential Recordings of Sonny Boy Williamson
Indigo Recording Ltd IGOCD 2014
Transcriber: [email protected]

(harmonica intro)

Now me an my baby we talked late last night
An we talked for another hour
She wanted me to go down to the welfare sto'
And get a sack a-that welfare flour

But I told her, 'No'
'Baby an I sho' don't wanna go'
I said, 'I'll do anything in the world for you
I don't wanna go down to that welfare sto'

Now, you need to go get you some real, white man
You know, to sign yo' little note
They give ya a pair of them king-toed shoes
I want no a-them pleat-back, soldier coat

But I told 'er, 'No'
'Baby an I sho' don't wanna go
I say, 'I'll do anything in the world for ya
'But I don't wanna go down to that welfare sto'

(harmonica, drums, guitar)

President Roosevelt said, on welfare people
They gonna treat ev'ryone right
Said, they give ya a can of them beans
An a can or two of them old tripe

But I told 'er, 'No'
'Baby, an I sho' don't wanna go
I say, 'I'll do anything in the world for ya
'But I don't wanna go down to that welfare sto', now

Well now, me an my baby we talked yesterday
An we talked in my backyard
She said, 'I'll take care-a you, Sonny Boy
Just as long as these times stay hard'
An I told her, 'Yeah, baby an I sho' won't have to go'

I said, 'If you do that for me
I won't have to go down to that welfare sto'.