Up on Cripple Creek

The Band



When I get off of this mountain

You know where I want to go

Straight down the Mississippi river

To the Gulf of Mexico

To Lake George, Louisiana

Little Bessie, girl that I once knew

And she told me just to come on by

If there's anything she could do

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Up on Cripple Creek she sends me

If I spring a leak she mends me

I don't have to speak she defends me

A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one

Good luck had just stung me

To the race track I did go

She bet on one horse to win

And I bet on another to show

Odds were in my favor

I had him five to one

When that nag came around the track

Sure enough he had won

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I took up all of my winnings

And I gave my little Bessie half

And she tore it up and blew it in my face

Just for a lauge

Now there's one thing in the whole wide world

I sure would like to see

That's when that little love of mine

Dips her doughnut in my tea

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Now me and my mate were back at the shack

We had Spike Jones on the box

She said, "I can't take the way he sings

But I love to hear him talk"

Now that just gave my heart a fall

To the bottom of my feet

And I swore and I took another pull

My Bessie can't be beat

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Now, it's hot in California

And up north it's pretty cold

And this living off the road

Is getting pretty old

So I guess I'll call up my big mama

Tell her I'll be rolling in

Bet you know, deep down, I'm kinda tempted

To see my sweet Bessie again

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