Bought me a first class ticket on the midnight plane to Memphis My head full of delta blues and bad religion Then I troubled the waters down to the Mississippi I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready I drug the bayou trying to find myself a rhythm I bought an old guitar and I kept my nickels in it Then I sang em every goddamn song they'd let me I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready Mercy, mercy me, that preacher's boy sure is a sight to see Hung up the cross when it got to heavy, he said I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready Spent all my money on easy women I rode that cocaine train till the rails ended I've been sweepin the sidewalk down by the levy I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready Somebody tell me whats a boy to do When he ain't got a dollar and he can't buy shoes I'm hitchhiking back to my home city I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready Mercy, mercy me, that preacher's boy sure is a sight to see Hung up the cross when it got to heavy, he said I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready I'm gonna be good when I'm good and ready