Brown’s Ferry Blues

Brown’s Ferry Blues

Words and music possibly traditional, attributed to Alton and Rabon Delmore.


Hard luck papa can’t stand his ground,
He was a good papa, but he done gone down.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

Hard luck papa standing in the rain,
If the world was corn he couldn’t buy grain.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

Two old maids, playing in the sand,
Each one a-wishin’ that the other’n was a man.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

Two old maids done lost their style,
If you want to be lucky you’ve got to smile.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

Hard luck papa countin’ his toes,
You can smell his feet wherever he goes.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

Hard luck papa can’t do his stuff,
The trouble with him, he’s been too rough.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

Early to bed and early to rise,
And your girl goes out with other guys.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!

If you don’t b’lieve it, try it yourself;
I tried it but I got left.
Lawd, Lawd, got them Brown’s Ferry Blues!


Collected from Bluebird B-5403, as sung by the Delmore Brothers (Alton and Rabon), recorded December 6, 1933.