Story Behind The Song
It's a folk-blues style song originally recorded by Josh White and Cab Calloway. This version was a hit on Folk radio in the 90s. I have the arrangement copyright on this version.
Song Description
This is the contrast of funeral durge with a witty lyric. It's the tradional, public domain song, St. James Infirmary. It's about a guy going to the hospital to discover his women has died. He plans her New Orleans style funeral in the rest of the verses. It's a folk-blues style song originally recorded by Josh White and Cab Calloway.
| Song Length |
4:21 |
Genre |
Blues - Traditional, Blues - Delta |
| Tempo |
Medium Slow (91 - 110) |
Lead Vocal |
Female Vocal |
| Mood |
Moving, Endearing |
Subject |
Girlfriend, Wife, Spirituality |
| Similar Artists |
Buddy Guy, Alison Krauss |
Language |
English |
| Era |
1920 - 1929 |
| |
Lyrics
I went down to Joe's bar room
At the corner of the square
They were serving drinks as usual
And the usual crowd was there
On my left stood old Joe McKenndy
His eyes were bloodshot red
And he turned to the crowd around me
And these are the very words he said
I went down to St. James Infirmary
To see my baby there
She was stretched out on a long black table
So calm, so cool, so fair
[chorus]
Let her go, let her go
God bless her
Wherever she may be
She can search this whole world over
And never find a man like me
Get sixteen coal-black horses
And tie 'em to a rubber tire hack
There are seven women going to the grave yard
And six of them comin' back
[chorus]
Get six crap shooters as pole barers
and a chorus line to sing her a song
Put a jazz band on her hearse wagon
So we can raise hell as well roll a long
[chorus]
When I die please come and bury me
In my tu-tone stetson hat
Put a twenty dollar gold piece on my watch chain
So the Lord will know I died
standin' pat
[chorus]