STATESBORO BLUES

“Statesboro Blues” is a blues song in the key of C written by Blind Willie McTell; the

title refers to the town of Statesboro, Georgia. McTell made the first recording of the song

on October 17, 1928. McTell borrowed part of the lyrics from a 1923 Sippie Wallace

recording of “Up the Country Blues”, which was later popularized by Canned Heat as

“Goin’ up the Country”. The song has since been covered by many other artists, including

Dave Van Ronk and Taj Mahal. The most familiar version of the song is by The Allman

Brothers Band, as recorded at the Fillmore East in March 1971 and first released on the

1971 album At Fillmore East.

Wake up mama, turn your lamp down low

Have you got the nerve to drive papa McTell from your door

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’, I’m some sweet woman’s angel child

You’re a mighty mean woman, to do me this a-way

Going to leave this town, pretty mama, going away to stay

I once loved a woman, better than I ever seen

Treat me like I was a king and she was a doggone queen

Sister, tell your Brother, Brother tell your Auntie, Auntie, tell your Uncle,

Uncle tell my Cousin, Cousin tell my friend

Goin’ up the country, Mama, don’t you want to go?

May take me a fair brown, may take me one or two more

Big Eighty left Savannah, Lord, and did not stop

You ought to saw that colored fireman when he got that boiler hot

Reach over in the corner, hand me my travelin’ shoes

You know by that, I got them Statesboro blues

Sister got ’em, daddy got ’em

Brother got ’em, mama got ’em

Woke up this morning, we had them Statesboro blues

I looked over in the corner,

Grandpa and grandma had ’em too.

Banjo Mountain