J.C. Holmes Blues

J.C. Holmes Blues - Bessie Smith

Listen people if you want to hear

A story told about a brave engineer

J C Holmes was the rider's name

A heavyweight wheelman

With a might fame

JC said with a smile so fine

"Woman gets tired o' one

Man at a time

Get two or three if you have to hide

If the train go an' leave

You got a mule to ride"

In the second cabin sat Miss Alice Bry

Goin' to ride with MR JC or die

"I ain't good lookin'

And I don't dress fine

But I'm a ramblin' woman

With a ramblin' mind"

Just then the conductor

Hollered "All aboard"

And the porter said "We got our load

Look here son we ought be gone

I feel like ridin' if it's all night long"

JC said just before he died

Two more roads he wanted to ride

Everybody wondered

What road it could be

He said "The Southern Pacific

And The Santa Fe"

J C said "I don't feel right

I saw my girl with a man last night

Soon as I get enough

Steam just right

I've been mistreated

And I don't mind dyin'"