Oh, black mama, what's the matter with you? 
Said, if it ain't satisfactory, don't care what I do 
Hey, mama, what's the matter with you? 
Said, if it ain't satisfactory, baby, don't care what I do 
You take a brownskin woman'll make a rabbit move to town 
Say, but a jet-black woman'll make a mule kick his stable down 
Oh, a brownskin woman will make a rabbit move to town 
Oh, but a real black woman'll make a mule kick his stable down 
Say, t'ain't no heaven, say, there ain't no burnin' hell 
Say, where I'm going when I die, can't nobody tell 
Oh, there ain't no heaven, now, there ain't no burnin' hell 
Oh, where I'm going when I die, can't nobody tell 
Well, my black mama's face shine like the sun 
Oh, lipstick and powder sure won't help her none 
My black mama's face shine like the sun 
Oh, lipstick and powder, well, they sure won't help her none 
Well, you see my milk cow, tell her to hurry home 
I ain't had no milk cow since that cow been gone 
If you see my milk cow, tell her to hurry home 
Yeah, I ain't had no milk cow since that cow been gone 
Well, I'm going to the race track to see my pony run 
He ain't the best in the world, but he's a runnin' son-of-a-gun 
I'm going to the race track to see my pony run 
He ain't the best in the world, but he's a runnin' son-of-a-gun 
Oh, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul 
Wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold 
Oh, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul 
Wouldn't mistreat you, baby, for my weight in gold 
Part Two 
Hey, I solemnly swear, Lord, I raise my right hand 
That I'm goin' get me a woman, you get you another man 
I solemnly swear, Lord, I raise my right hand 
That I'm goin' get me a woman, you get you another man 
I got a letter this morning, how do you reckon it read? 
"Oh, hurry, hurry, gal, you love is dead" 
I got a letter this morning, how do you reckon it read? 
"Oh, hurry, hurry, gal, you love is dead" 
I grabbed my suitcase, I took off, up the road 
I got there, she was laying on the cooling board 
I grabbed my suitcase, I took on up the road 
I got there, she was laying on the cooling board 
Well, I walked up close, I looked down in her face 
Good old gal, you got to lay here till Judgment Day 
I walked up close, and I looked down in her face 
Yes, been a good old gal, got to lay here till Judgment Day 
(spoken: Aw sho' now, I feel low-down this evenin'!) 
Oh, my woman so black, she shays apart of this town 
Can't nothin' "go" when the poor girl is around 
My black mama stays apart of this town 
Oh, can't nothing "go" when the poor girl is around 
Oh, some people tell me the worried blues ain't bad 
It's the worst old feelin' that I ever had 
Some people tell me the worried blues ain't bad 
Buddy, the worst old feelin', Lord, I ever had 
Hmmm, I fold my arms, and I walked away 
"That's all right, mama, your trouble will come someday" 
I fold my arms, Lord, I walked away 
Say, "That's all right, mama, your trouble will come someday"