Pickpocket Blues

soundclip

by Bessie Smith
recording of
from The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3 (Columbia/Legacy C2K-47474),
copyright notice

My best man, my best friend,
told me to stop peddlin'¹ gin
They even told me to keep my hands
out people's pocket where their money was in

But I wouldn't listen or have any shame,
'long as someone else would take the blame
Now I can see it all come home to me
I'm sittin' in the jailhouse now
I mean, I'm in the jailhouse now

I done stop runnin' around with this one
and these good lookin' browns
Any time you see me, I was good time bound,
with this one, that one, most all in town
I'm in the jailhouse now,
I'm sittin' in the jailhouse now

__________
Note 1: peddlin', to travel about with wares, in this case gin, for sale. In a wider sense: to sell, or offer for sale from place to place.