Oh, the ragman draws circles

Up and down the block

I'd ask him what the matter was

But I know that he don't talk

And the ladies treat me kindly

And furnish me with tape

But deep inside my heart

I know I can't escape

Oh, Mama, can this really be the end

To be stuck inside of Mobile

With the Memphis blues again.



Well Shakespeare he's in the alley

With his pointed shoes and his bells

Speaking to some French girl

Who says she knows me well

And I would send a message

To find out if she's talked

But the post office has been stolen

And the mailbox is locked

Oh, Mama, can this really be the end

To be stuck inside of Mobile

With the Memphis blues again.



Mona tried to tell me

To stay away from the train line

She said that all the railroad men

Just drink up your blood like wine

And I said "Oh I didn't know that

But then again there's only one I've met

And he just smoked my eyelids

And punched my cigarette"

Oh, Mama, can this really be the end

To be stuck inside of Mobile

With the Memphis blues again.

Grandpa died last week

And now he's buried in the rocks

But everybody still talks about

How badly they were shocked

But me, I expected it to happen

I knew he'd lost control

When he built a fire on Main Street

And shot it full of holes

Oh, Mama, can this really be the end

To be stuck inside of Mobile

With the Memphis blues again.



Now the senator came down here

Showing ev'ryone his gun

Handing out free tickets

To the wedding of his son

And me, I nearly get bursted

And wouldn't it be my luck

To get caught without a ticket

And be d