Church Bells Blues
Luke Jordan Lyrics

Ay, the church bell's a-ringin', secretary's singin'
The church service is beginning and the church secretary is singing.

The preacher's preachin', can't you hear the sisters shoutin'?
The preacher is delivering his sermon and the congregation is shouting in agreement.

Children's in the pulpit, mama tryin' to learn that song
The children are participating in the church service and the singer's mother is trying to learn a song.

Now that low-down dirty deacon done stole my gal and gone
The singer's girlfriend has left him for the deceitful deacon.

Says, old brother had 'em, my sister had 'em
The singer's family has been afflicted with a mysterious ailment.

My auntie had 'em, my mother died with 'em
The ailment caused the singer's aunt to become ill and his mother to pass away.

Woke up this morning, the family had the weary blues
The singer's family is feeling down and disheartened.

Poked my head over in the corner, poor grandmammy had 'em, too
Even the singer's grandmother is suffering from the blues.

I did more for you, woman, way last winter
The singer did more for his ex-girlfriend last winter than anyone else ever has.

Late in the fall, and you remember I scuffled through the summer
The singer worked hard to take care of his ex-girlfriend through the summer and into the fall.

I did more for you, woman, than the Good Lord had ever done
The singer feels he did more for his ex-girlfriend than even God has done for her.

Carry downtown, bought you good hair, the Lord hadn't give you none
The singer bought his ex-girlfriend better hair than she was born with.

Hand me back that hat I bought you, that coat and waist
The singer wants his ex-girlfriend to return the gifts he gave her.

That shawl I bought you, mama, you gotta bring shoes and all
Not only does the singer want his gifts back, he expects his ex-girlfriend to also return the shoes he bought her.

If you don't like your daddy, you've got no right to carry no stall
The singer believes that if his ex-girlfriend doesn't respect her own father, she shouldn't be selling goods at a stall.

Hand me back that wig I bought you, mama, let your doggone head go bald
The singer wants his ex-girlfriend to return the wig he bought her and let her hair go natural.

You know, I can't be no bank boss, no superintendent
The singer explains that he is not cut out for high-powered jobs like bank boss or superintendent.

Can't clerk in no commissary, ain't gonna work on no tipple
He also can't work in a commissary or coal mine, and has vowed to God not to do so.

And I promised the Good Lord, partner, not to dig no coal
The singer made a promise to God that he will not work in a coal mine.

I'm gonna hang 'round the country and try to sell some jellyroll
Instead, the singer plans to travel around selling jellyroll.

Said my mammy's got a hatchet, my papa got an axe
The singer's mother has a hatchet and his father has an axe.

My sister got a shepherd, my brother got some hounds
His sister owns a shepherd dog and his brother has some hunting dogs.

Some men just crave their yella women, some, they like their teasin' brown
Some men prefer light-skinned women, while others like darker-skinned women.

I'm a stranger in town, mama, b'lieve I'm goin' the whole way 'round
Despite feeling like an outsider in his town, the singer intends to travel all around it.

She wouldn't cook me no breakfast, she wouldn't git me no dinner
The singer's ex-girlfriend refused to make him breakfast or dinner.

She squabbled 'bout my supper and she kicked me outdoors
She argued with him over his supper and kicked him out of her house.

She had a nerve to ask me, would a matchbox hold my clothes
The singer's ex-girlfriend had the audacity to ask if his clothes could fit in a matchbox.

She had a nerve to ask me, would a matchbox hold my clothes
The singer's ex-girlfriend had the audacity to ask if his clothes could fit in a matchbox.