That’s What He Said

[JIM CONLEY]
He tol' me to watch the door
"Watch the door"—that's what he said
That's what he said—I should make sure
No one came and interrupted
Well I'd say, once or twice a month
He'd tell me, "Jim, you watch the door—
I got a lady comin'. I got a lady comin'
Like I said, once or twice a month
There'd be a lady come to call
And he'd say, "Jim, you watch the door,"
That's what he said
(spoken)
And once, I remember, it was two ladies. There was a black gentleman, I believe hе said he was from Chicago...

[DORSEY, spoken]
All right, then, Jim, will you tell us about thе morning of April 26th?

[CONLEY, spoken]
The day of the parade?
(sung)
He tol' me to watch the door
"Watch the door," that's what he said
That's what he said, "I got a girl
She'll be coming up to see me
She's a very pretty girl,"
He said—"Don't let me catch you looking at
Miss Mary Perkins"
That's what he called her, I think
"Miss Mary Perkins"
So when this Mary came to call
I kep' my eyes down to the floor
'Cause Mr. Frank said not to look
That's what he said
(spoken)
Well, next thing, Mr. Frank is yellin' somethin', so I run upstairs, and I open the door, and Mr. Frank looks up
(sung)
He said, "We were playin' a game!
Playin' a game!" that's what he said—
That's what he said, and little Mary's
Kinda crumpled in the corner
He said, "You don't understand—
She didn't want to play the game
And so I went and hit her—
You see, I had to hit her"
He tol' me I should go and look
He said she's actin' like she's sick
And I said, "Lord, that chil' is dead!"
That's what I said!

[CONLEY, CROWD]
And he said, "No! No!
It ain't my fault that girl is dead!"
He said "No! No!"
That's what he said
That's what he said
He said "No! No!"
And his eyes were wild and his face was red
He said "No!" No!
No! No!
That's what he said!
That's what he said, that's
What he, what he said, he said that's
That's what he said...

He said "Gotta get her out—
Let's get her out!" That's what he said
That's what he said!
And so I found me
This ol' gunny sack and wrapped 'er
He said, "You're a good boy, Jim—
"I know you won't tell no one nothing—
Here's a hundred dollars!"
A hundred dollars
I got a hundred dollars
A hundred dollars
And so I put her on my back
We took the elevator down
He said, "Jus' throw it on the ground!"
That's what he said
That's what he said

Yes, he said
"No!" No!
"No!" No!
"There ain't no reason I should hang!"
He said
"No!" No!
"No!" No!
That's what he said!
That's what he said
He said
"No!" No!
"No!" No!
"There ain't no reason I should hang—
You got money in your pocket and there's
Plenty more o' that—
And I got wealthy friends an' fam'ly, and a wife
Who's dumb an' fat
And I got rich folks out in Brooklyn if I need
Somewheres to go
And these stupid rednecks never gonna
Know!" Hang 'im!
"No!"
"Hang 'im!

"It ain't my fault that girl is dead!" Hang the Jew!
He said, "No!" Hang 'im!
"No!" Hang 'im!
That's what he said! Make 'im pay!
He said "No!" Get 'im!
"No!" Now!
And his eyes were wild and his face was red
He said "No!"

[CROWD MEN]
No!

[CROWD WOMEN]
No!
No!

[MEN, CROWD]
Hang 'im! That's what he said!
Hang 'im! That's what he said!
Hang 'im! That's what he said!
Hang 'im! That's what he said!

[CONLEY]
That's what he said!