Spider John is my name friend

I'm in between freights and I sure would be obliged

If you'd share your company

I know this may sound strange to you

But if you wait 'til the song is sung and the stories told

You might come to understand

Why I'm old and bent and devil's been runnin' out of time

When I long ago held a royal flush in my hand.



Oh, I was a super market fool, I was a roll-the-bank, a

stool pigeon,

Robbing my hometown

I thought I'd lost the blues, yes, I thought I'd paid my dues

I thought I'd found the life to suit my style



But here I sit ol' Spider John

The robber man

Long, tall and handsome

Yes, ol' Spider John with the loaded hand

Taking ransom



Then one day I met Diamond Lil

She was the sweetest thing, I declare,

That the summer breeze ever blown my way

But, lady, she had no idea my illustrious occupation

She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray

But you see that word got around and Lily left town

Never saw her again

Tossin' and turnin', causin' my heart to grieve



Oh, I was a super market fool, I was roll-the-bank, stool pigeon

Robbing my hometown.

I thought I'd lost my blues, thought I'd paid my dues

I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.

But here I sit ol' Spider John,

The robber man

Long, tall and handsome

Yes, ol' Spider John with the loaded hand

Taking ransom



That is all my story

Been these thirty years since I took to the road

Find my precious jewel one

If you see my Lily, won't you give her my regards

Tell her ol' Spider got tangled

In the black web that he spun



You can tell her that ol' Spider got tangled

In