Lyrics The Rich Old Lady - Alan Lomax

The Rich Old Lady

Once I knowed old lady
Round Tennessee did dwell
She had a lovin' husband
But she loved other mens as well
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
I’m goin' down to the doctor’s shop
Just as quick as I can go
See if I can’t find sumpen 'round that place
That’ll run my husband blind
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
She only found two marrowbone
An' she told them to suck them all
An says, Now I’m blind my dear young wife
An' I jes' can’t see at all
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Well, I would go and drown myself
If I only knew the way
Says, Now my dear come and go with me
Mother’s fraid you’ll run astray
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Goes way down by the riverside
For to see her old man drown
My dear kind wife, I cannot drown
Unless you shove me in
She gits way back, takes a little runnin' start
Gonna shove her old man in
Old man jumps just a little to one side
And a-headlong she plunged in
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
She whooped and she hollered
Just as loud as any woman could squall
Old man knows his sweet wife’s dyin'
An' cannot see at all
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Ol' man bein' so kind-hearted
Knowin' too his sweet wife could not swim
Reahed right down and git a long pole
And he shoves her further in
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Come all you hasty young women
An' take warnin' after me
Don’t never try to drown a po' old man
That’s blind so he cannot see
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O
Love my darlin' O