Statesboro Blues werd geschreven door Blind Willie McTell, die het in 1928 zelf als eerste op de plaat zette. Het is ongetwijfeld McTell’s bekendste song en geldt als een klassiek staaltje Piedmont blues. Taj Mahal zette in 1968 een fraaie bluesrock versie op de plaat. De broertjes Allman maakten tijdens een optreden van Taj Mahal met gitarist Jesse Ed Davis kennis met de song. Hun versie van McTell’s song op de dubbelaar At Fillmore East is het ultieme bewijs dat witte mensen wel degelijk de blues kunnen spelen.
[Verse 1]
Wake up, mama, turn your lamp down low
Wake up, mama, turn your lamp down low
Have you got the nerve to drive Papa McTell from your door?
[Verse 2]
My mother died and left me reckless
My daddy died and left me wild, wild, wild
Mother died and left me reckless
Daddy died and left me wild, wild, wild
No, I’m not good lookin’ but I’m some sweet woman’s angel child
[Verse 3]
She’s a mighty mean woman, do me this a-way
She’s a mighty mean woman, do me this a-way
When I leave this town, pretty mama, I’m goin’ away to stay
[Verse 4]
I once loved a woman, better than any I’d ever seen
I once loved a woman, better than any I’d ever seen
Treated me like I was a king and she was a doggone queen
[Verse 5]
Sister, tell your brother, brother tell your auntie
Now auntie, tell your uncle, uncle tell my Cousin
Now cousin, tell my friend
Goin’ up the country, mama, don’t you want to go?
May take me a fair brown, may take one or two more
[Verse 6]
Big Eighty left Savannah, Lord, and did not stop
You ought to saw that colored fireman when he got them boiler hot
You can reach over in the corner, mama
And hand me my travelin’ shoes
You know by that, I’ve got them Statesboro blues
[Verse 7]
Mama, Sister got ‘em, Auntie got ‘em
Brother got ‘em, friends got ‘em, I got ‘em
Woke up this morning, we had them Statesboro blues
I looked over in the corner, Grandma and Grandpa had ‘em too
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