Backwater Blues

Backwater Blues
music and lyric by Bessie Smith

When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night.
When it rains five days and the skies turn dark as night,
Then trouble's takin' place in the lowlands at night.

I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door.
I woke up this mornin', can't even get out of my door.
There's been enough trouble to make a poor girl wonder
Where she want to go...

Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond.
Then they rowed a little boat about five miles 'cross the pond.
I packed all my clothes, throwed them in and they rowed me along...

When it thunders and lightnin' and when the wind begins to blow.
When it thunders and lightnin' and the wind begins to blow.
There's thousands of people ain't got no place to go.

Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill.
Then I went and stood upon some high old lonesome hill.
Then looked down on the house where I used to live.

Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go.
Backwater blues done call me to pack my things and go.
'Cause my house fell down and I can't live there no more.

Mmm, I can't move no more.
Mmm, I can't move no more.
There ain't a place for a poor old girl to go...