“In his 1941 autobiography, Father of the Blues, Handy wrote: “A lean, loose-jointed Negro had commenced plunking a guitar beside me while I slept. His clothes were rags; his feet peeped out of his shoes. His face had on it some of the sadness of the ages. As he played, he pressed a knife on the str...
[Verse 1]
Ever since Miss Susan Johnson lost her Jockey, Lee
There has been much excitement, more to be
You can hear her moaning night and dawn
"Wonder where my Easy Rider's gone?"
Cablegrams come of sympathy
Telegrams go of inquiry
Letters come from down in "Bam"
And everywhere that Uncle Sam
Has even a rural delivery
All day the phone rings
But it's not for me
At last good tidings fill our hearts with glee
This message comes from Tennessee
[Chorus]
Dear Sue, your Easy Rider struck this burg today
On a southbound rattler side door Pullman car
I seen him here and he was on the hog
(Spoken) 'The smoke was broke, no joke, not a jitney on him'
I say now, Easy Rider's gotta stay away
So he had to vamp it but the hike ain't far
He's gone where the Southern cross' the Yellow Dog
[Verse 2]
I know the Yellow Dog district like a book
Indeed, I know the route that Rider took;
Every cross', tie, bayou, burg, and bog
Way down where the Southern cross' the Dog
Money don't exactly grow on trees
On cotton stalks, it grows with ease
No race hog, race track, no grandstand
Is like Old Beck an' Buckshot land
Down where the Southern cross' the Dog
Every kitchen there is a cabaret
Down there the boll weevil works while the (darkies) play
This Yellow Dog Blues the live long day
[Chorus]
Dear Sue, your Easy Rider struck this burg today
On a southbound rattler side door Pullman car
Seen him here an' he was on the hog
(Spoken) 'The smoke was broke, no joke, not a jitney on him'
Easy Rider's gotta stay away
So he had to vamp it but the hike ain't far
He's gone where the Southern cross' the Yellow Dog
He's gone where the Southern cross' the Yellow Dog
Yellow Dog Blues was written by W. C. Handy.
Yellow Dog Blues was produced by .
W. C. Handy released Yellow Dog Blues on Wed Jan 01 1919.