St. James Infirmary Arlo Guthrie

"St. James Infirmary" by Arlo Guthrie, released in 1972, is a #Folk song that explores themes of love, loss, and mourning. The narrator laments the death of a loved one, reflecting on grief and heartache. Its bluesy melody and soulful delivery enhance the emotional weight, contributing to its enduring cultural significance in American music.

It was down in Old Joe's barroom
At the corner by the square
The drinks were served as usual
And the usual crowd was there

Now on my left stood Big Joe McKennedy
His eyes were bloodshot red
And as he looked at the gang around him
These were the very words he said:

"I went down to the St. James Infirmary
I saw my baby there
Stretched out on a long white table
So young, so cold, so fair"

Seventeen coal black horses
Hitched to a rubber-tired hack
Seven girls goin to the graveyard
Only six of them are coming back

Well let her go, let her go
God bless her, wherever she may be
She may search this wide world over
And never find another man like me

Oh, when I die, just bury me
In my high top Stetson hat
Place a twenty-dollar gold piece on my watch chain
To let the Lord know I died standin' pat

Previous Lyric Next Lyric