Heavy-Hipted Woman

Quit yo' long-time talkin' 'bout yo' heavy-hipted woman,
She done gone, oh, babe, she done gone.
Quit yo' long-time talkin' 'bout yo' heavy-hipted woman,
She done gone, oh, babe, she done gone.

Got my learnin' from a coal-black nigger,
ln de mines, oh, babe, in de mines.

My woman, she keeps on a-grumblin',
'Bout a new pair o' shoes, oh, babe, 'bout a new pair o' shoes.

l gave her five silver dollars,
Jus' to buy some tans, oh, babe, jus' to buy some tans.

She come back a-whoopin' an a-holl'in',
Wid a pair of brogans, oh, babe, wid a pair` o' brogans.
Got a bulldog weighin' nine hunderd,
In my back yard, oh, babe, in my back yard.
When you hear my bulldog barkin',
Somebody's 'roun', oh, babe, somebody's 'roun'.

When he barks, he ro' like thunder,
All under de groun', oh, babe, all under de groun'.

When you hear my pistol shootin',
'Nother man's dead, oh, babe, 'nother man's dead.

When you hear dat peafowl holl'in',
Sign o' rain, oh, babe, sign o' rain.

When you hear dat blue goose holler,
Gwineta tu'n col', oh, babe, gwineta tu'n col'.
When l cross dat wide ol' mountain,
I'll be free, oh, babe, den l'll be free.

Take my houn' dog an' give it to my brother,
Tell him I'm gone, oh, babe, tell him l'm gone.
You may look till yo' eye runs water,
l won' be back, oh, babe, l won' be back.

From American Ballads and Folk Songs, Lomax
note: see also Swannanoa Tunnel
RG