If the river was whiskey and I was a duck 
I'd dive to the bottom and I'd never come up 
Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate? 

If the river was whiskey and the branch was wine 
You would see me in bathing just any old time 
Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate? 

I was born in England, raised in France 
I ordered a suit of clothes and they wouldn't send the pants 
Tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate? 

I was born in Alabama, I’s raised in Tennessee 
If you don't like my peaches, don't shake on my tree 
Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate? 

I looked down the road just as far as I could see 
A man had my woman and the blues had me 
Tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate? 

I ain't no doctor but the doctor's son 
I can do the doct'rin' till the doctor comes 
Oh, tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate? 

Got the hesitation stockings, the hesitation shoes 
Believe to my Lord, I've got the hesitation blues 
Tell me how long have I got to wait? 
Oh, can I get you now, must I hesitate?