Death Letter

(Eddie James "Son" House, Jr.) I got a letter this mornin, how do you reckon it read? It said, "Hurry, hurry, yeah, your love is dead" I got a letter this mornin, I say how do you reckon it read? You know, it said, "Hurry, hurry, how come the gal you love is dead?" So, I grabbed up my suitcase, and took off down the road When I got there she was layin on a coolin' board I grabbed up my suitcase, and I said and I took off down the road I said, but when I got there she was already layin on a coolin' board Well, I walked up right close, looked down in her face Said, the good ol' gal got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day I walked up right close, and I said I looked down in her face I said the good ol' gal, she got to lay here 'til the Judgment Day Looked like there was 10,000 people standin' round the buryin' ground I didn't know I loved her 'til they laid her down Looked like 10,000 were standin' round the buryin' ground You know I didn't know I loved her 'til they damn laid her down Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul I wouldn't mistreat you baby, for my weight in gold I said, Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul You know I wouldn't mistreat nobody, baby, not for my weight in gold Well, I folded up my arms and I slowly walked away I said, "Farewell honey, I'll see you on Judgment Day" Ah, yeah, oh, yes, I slowly walked away I said, "Farewell, farewell, I'll see you on the Judgment Day" You know I went in my room, I bowed down to pray The blues came along and drove my spirit away I went in my room, I said I bowed down to pray I said the blues came along and drove my spirit away You know I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down I didn't have a soul to throw my arms around I didn't feel so bad, 'til the good ol' sun went down You know, I didn't have nobody to throw my arms around I loved you baby, like I love myself You don't have me, you won't have nobody else I loved you baby, better than I did myself I said now if you don't have me, I didn't want you to have nobody else You know, it's hard to love someone that don't love you Ain't no satisfaction, don't care what in the world you do Yeah, it's hard to love someone that don't love you You know it don't look like satisfaction, don't care what in the world you do Got up this mornin', just about the break of day A-huggin' the pillow where she used to lay Got up this mornin', just about the break of day A-huggin' the pillow where my good gal used to lay Got up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes You know, I must-a had them old walkin' blues Got up this mornin', feelin' round for my shoes Yeah, you know bout that, I must-a had them old walkin' blues You know, I cried last night and all the night before Gotta change my way a livin', so I don't have to cry no more You know, I cried last night and all the night before Gotta change my way a livin', you see, so I don't have to cry no more Ah, hush, thought I heard her call my name If it wasn't so loud and so nice and plain Ah, yeah Mmmmmm Well, listen, whatever you do This is one thing, honey, I tried to get along with you Yes, no tellin' what you do I done everything I could, just to try and get along with you Well, the minutes seemed like hours, hours they seemed like days It seemed like my good, old gal outta done stopped her low-down ways Minutes seemed like hours, hours they seemed like days Seems like my good, old gal outta done stopped her low-down ways You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do Love sometimes leaves you feeling sad and blue You know, love's a hard ol' fall, make you do things you don't wanna do Love sometimes make you feel sad and blue