I remember the time

Just before the war

Colored man used to

Hunt him out chips 'n straw

But now, bless God

Old master's dead

Colored man plumb fool

About feather bed

Eee-hee, my gal Nancy

O'vr the road I'm bound to go

(harmonica)

I went uptown

Goin' to shriek and howl

Think I heard my baby cry

Eee-wee-mmm, honey

Oh Lord, I'm bound to go

Wee-eee-eee, baby

Oh Lord, I'm bound to go

(harmonica)

I went downtown

Didn't mean no harm

Police grab me

Right by my arm

Soon, I began to pitch

I began to rear

Feel like strollin' in the air

Ooo-woo-ooo, baby

Ov'r the road I'm bound to go

I went downtown

Doin' my best

Find the boys

That stole the vest

Went on around

'Bout Court Square

Find the boys

That done stole the coat

Hee-hee-eee, baby

Oh Lord, I'm bound to go

(harmonica)

Now I knew, Joe Louis

Was in stand

Had them law books

In his hands

I began to pitch

Pull out a writ

Began to read to me

Said, 'Nigger, you been stealin'

In the first degree'

Eee-eee-eee, baby

Ov'r the road I'm bound to go

(harmonica)

Ev' Old Britt and Moses Brown

Said, 'I'm going 'cross Cripple Creek

Go into town'

Ooo-ooo-ooo, baby

Ov'r the road I'm bound to go on.