J.C. Holmes Blues Bessie Smith

[Verse 1]
Listen people if you want to hear
A story told about a brave engineer
JC Holmes was the rider's name
A heavyweight wheelman with a might fame

[Verse 2]
JC said, with a smile so fine
"Woman gets tired o' one man all the time
Get two or three if you have to hide
If the train go an' leave you got a mule to ride!"

[Verse 3]
In the second cabin sat Miss Alice Bry
Goin' to ride with JC or die
"I ain't good lookin' and I don't dress fine
But I'm a ramblin' woman with a ramblin' mind!"

[Verse 4]
Just then the conductor hollered, "All aboard!"
And the porter said, "We got our load
Look a-here son, we oughta been gone
I feel like ridin' if it's all night long!"

[Verse 5]
JC said, just before he died
Two more roads he wanted to ride
Everybody wondered what road it could be
He said, "The Southern Pacific and The Santa Fe"