Lightnin' Hopkins Lyrics

Back Door Friend
by Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

What you gonna do with a woman, yeah, when she got a back do' friend?
What are you gonna do with a woman, yes, when she got a back do' friend?
She just prayin' for you to move out, so her back do' friend can move in
Yes, it's hard to love a woman, yes, you know she got a back do' friend
Yes, it's hard to love a woman, oh Lord, yes, you know she got a back do' friend
Yes, when she prayin' for you to move out, so her back do' friend can move in
Yeah, you know I bought that woman a diamond ring, I thought that she would change
I went home one morn' and I caught her doin', whoa, that same old thing
Now what you gonna do with a mad woman, oh, when she got a back do' friend
When she prayin' all the time for you to move out, so her back do' friend, he can move in

Bad Luck And Trouble
by Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

Trouble Lord, trouble, trouble's all I see
Trouble, I said trouble, trouble's all I see
Yes, you know I got nobody to work and care for me
Bad luck and trouble, two of my best friends
Bad luck and trouble, two of my best friends
You'll see me with no trouble organizing' bad luck, which I'm walkin' in
Bad luck and trouble, hangin' 'round my door
Bad luck and trouble, hangin' 'round my door
You believe it I'm a hopin', it won't come back no more
(spoken: goodbye trouble!)

Bald Headed Woman
by Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

Give me - I'm gonna take it - back that wig I bought you woman,
oh Lord, let your doggone head go bald
Give me back that wig I bought you woman,
I'm mad at you as I can be,
let your doggone head go bald
You know the special del'vry brought me a letter this mornin',
cryin', woman you don't need no hair at all
Special delivery man said he seed you on the corner last night,
you was talking with another man
He said you was tagging all around with a,
whiskey bottle in your hand
I say give me back that wig I bought you,
oh Lord, let your doggone head go bald
Yes you know the news I got from downtown,
woman you don't need no hair at all
(what you want with a woman who ain't got no hair?
What's the matter with you girl?)
I'm just gonna tell you, po' Lightnin' is fair
I'm just gonna cut out one of these, little locks of my hair
'Cause don't be bothered with you no more,
yes I want you to have pretty hair here, hair every place we go

Black Cat
by Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

Well you're one black cat, some day you'll find your tree
Well you're one black cat, some day you'll find your tree
Then I'll hide my shoe somewhere near your sherry tree
Well I take you down in town, I paid your doctor bill
When I'm in some trouble, you're tryin' to get me killed
Well you're one black cat, some day you'll find your tree
Then I'll hide my shoe somewhere near your sherry tree
Well I took you in my home, you ate up all my bread
I left there this mornin', you tried to mess up in my bed
Well you're one black cat, some day you'll find your tree
Then I'll hide my shoe somewhere near your sherry tree
Well I woke up this mornin', the same thing on my mind
I was thinkin' 'bout you baby, you were walkin' down the line
Well you're one black cat, some day you'll find your tree
Then I'll hide my shoe somewhere near your sherry tree

Black Ghost Blues
by Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

Black ghost, black ghost, please stay away from my door
Black ghost, black ghost, will you please stay away from my door
Yeah you know you worry po' Lightnin' so now, I just can't sleep no more
Yeah you know I go to dreaming first night, black ghost is all po' Lightnin' can see
I go to dreaming first night, black ghost is all po' Lightnin' can see
You know that's why I begin to wonder why you keeps on worryin' me
Black ghost is a picture, and the black ghost is a shadow too
Whoa, black ghost is a picture, and the black ghost is a shadow too
You just can see him, but you can't hear him talkin'
Ain't nothin' else that a black ghost can do
Black Ghost Blues!

Blues For My Cookie
Sam Lightnin' Hopkins

Mmmm, blues early in the mornin', whoa, Lord, ya know I have them late at night
Mmmm, early in the mornin', God knows I have 'em late at night
Yeah, you know I been wonderin' why my little baby, she just won't straighten up and fly right
Well, you take a man have the blues, whoa, he can't last very long
Mmmmmm, whoa, he can't last very long
Well, he wake up early and he moanin', "Om", in the woods, that poor child, God, he's gone

Breakfast Time
by Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

Cook my breakfast, bring it to my bed
Cook my breakfast, bring it to my bed
When I eat this morning, my whole family been fed
Cook my biscuits, cook 'em good and brown
Cook my biscuits, cook 'em good and brown
If you see my bread burning, turn you pan around
I want my coffee, I want it hot, hot
I want my coffee, I want it hot, hot
I want you to turn up your stove, so it will burn my coffee hot

Burnin' In L.A.
Sam "Lightnin' " Hopkins

Just look at the people, whoa, just look at the peoples I got over here
I said just look at the people, just look at the peoples I got over here
You know a little sixteen-year-old girl come to me talked and said, "Lightnin',
would you take me for your souvenir?"
You know they had a big fire down in L.A., all them buildings is burnin' down
Oh, they had a big fire down in L.A., (well in Beverly Hills or somewhere a little close)
all them buildings is burnin' down
You know they was lookin' for the fire trucks and in time none of 'em would come around
(Po' children were runnin' and cryin'
They couldn't help themselves, they was talkin' too)
You gotta get this lesson, children, you gotta get it from the book
Talkin' about the things you buy raw, them is things you gotta cook
Mama say she was hungry round about ten o'clock
That was the time the world was beginnin' to get on a rock
That was the burnin' down in L.A., all them buildings was burnin' down
Well you know they didn't have enough water to put out the fire
250-some home they got burnin' down