Fire-Wood Man

Words and music by Sonny Scott, c.1933.

Lord, a fire will burn wood and coal, and a man sit down to warm.
Lord, a fire will burn wood and coal, and a man will sit down to warm.
And if his woman ain’t right, she will do something wrong.

Lord, a good girl can jump a rope, baby, and a duck can swim a pond.
Lord, a good girl can jump a rope, baby, and a duck can swim a pond.
I come home late last night and she was out and gone.

Oh babe, you don’t mean your fire-wood man no good.
Oh babe, you don’t mean your fire-wood man no good.
Well you treat me so mean, I had to leave my neighborhood.

Lord, a man come in this world, and he have but a few minutes to stay.
Lord, a man come in this world, and he have but a few minutes to stay.
Lawd his head is full of nonsense, and his feet’s all full of clay.

I got cold last night love, I got up to warm.
I got cold last night, and I got up to warm.
But you had your habits on and I had to leave my home.

Collected from Vocalion 02614, as sung by Sonny Scott, recorded July 18, 1933.