Mr. Crump
By W.C. Handy

(Melody)
You want to be my man, you gotta give me forty dollars down
You want to be my man, you'll give me forty dollars down
If you don't be my man, your baby's gonna shake this town

Mr. Crump¹ don't 'low² no easy riders here
We don't care what Mister Crump don't 'low
We gonna bar'l house any how, Mr. Crump don't low no easy riders here

Crump don't 'low it, ain't gonna have it
We don't care what Mr. Crump don't 'low
We gonna bar'l house and how, Mr. Crump can go and catch hiself some here

I'm goin' down the river goin' down the river
Goin' to take my rockin' chair
Goin' to the river goin' to take my rockin' chair

Blues overtake me, goin' to rock away from here
Oh de Mississippi river, Mississippi river so deep and wide
I said the Mississippi river's so deep and wide

Man I love he is on the other side

__________
Note: originally titled "Mr. Crump", later also known as "Memphis Blues";
Note 1: Mr. Crump, Edward H. Crump, a local Memphis political boss of the time. Crump asked Handy to play with his band in support of his campaign to become elected mayor of Memphis;
Note 2: 'low, short for allow.