DEATH LETTER BLUES

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Song Title
DEATH LETTER BLUES
Writers
Ledbetter, Huddie, Lomax Alan, Lomax John A
Publisher
FOLKWAYS MUSIC PUBLISHERS, INC. (BMI)
Co-Publisher
Non-TRO Affiliate
% Publisher Controls
50%-US/100% WORLD EX US
Territory Controlled
WORLD
Themes/Keywords
Baby, Death, Grave, Letter, Loss, Papa, Repetitive, sadness, Story
Lyrics
PART ONE
Yes, she wrote me a letter – what you reckon it read? (2)
“Come home, sweet papo, yo’ lovin’ baby’s dead.”

(Spoken) Sho ‘nough this man he got his letter. He goes to his friend. He goes to the depot an’ he catches the longest train he see. And the train he rides didn’ stop at no short stops. When he got home, here is what he told his mamma:

“Yes, I went to the depot, caught the train a-flyin’, (2)
When I walked in, Lawd, she was slowly dyin’.”

(Spoken) His mamma met him at the doorstep. Papa run an’ tol’ his darlin’ daughter-in-law good-by.

“My mamma said, ‘Howdy’, papa said, ‘Good-by.’’ (2)
Poor boy couldn’ do nothin’ but hang his head an’ cry.

Lawd, he went to the bedside, looked down in her face, (2)
Cryin’, “I love you, pretty mama, but I jus’ cain’ take your place.”

PART TWO
“So many hacks an’ buggies are a-standin’ aroun’, (2)
Waitin’ to take my baby to the buryin’ groun’”

(Spoken) When they taken her to the buryin’ groun’, he puts his hands on the preacher’s shoulders:

“You done taken my baby to the buryin’ groun’, (2)
You done taken my baby to the buryin’ groun’”.

“You don’ break my heart, Lawd, till you let her down, (2)
You don’ break my heart, Lawd, till you let her down.”

Yes, he went to the headboard, fell down on his knees, (2)
“Can you speak one word, babe, give my heart some ease?”

“You don’ miss yo’ water till yo’ well goes dry, (2)
You don’ miss yo’ mamma till she shakes yo’ han’ good-by.”

“Doncha house look lonesome when yo’ woman done gone? (2)
Doncha feel mistreated an’ you won’t let on?”

Recordings

Recording Artist Genre Mood Arrangement Era iTunes
Lead Belly Country Blues Nostalgic, Resignation, Soulful Acoustic Guitar, Vocal 1930's Buy >
Son House Folk Buy >

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