Seen the arrow on the doorpost Saying this land is condemned All the way from New Orleans To Jerusalem I travel through east Texas Where many martyrs fell And I dont know one can sing the blues Like blind Wille McTell Well, I heard that hoo-dove singing As they were taking down the tent The stars above the barren trees Was his only audiance Them charcoal gypsy maidens Can strut their feathers well But nobody can sing the blues Like blind Wille McTell Seen them big plantations burning Hear the cracking of the whips Smell that sweet magnolia blooming See the ghost of slarvery ship I can hear them tribes moaning Hear the undertakers bell Nobody can sing the blues Like blind Wille McTell There's a woman by the river With some fine young handsome man He's dressed up like a squier Bootlegged whiskey in his hand There's a chain gang on the highway I can hear them rebells yell And I know no one can sing the blues Like blind Wille McTell ♪ Well, God is in his heaven
And we are what was his But power and greed and corruptible seed Seem to be all that there is I'm gazing out the window Of the St. James Hotel And I dont know no one that can sing the blues Like blind Wille McTell