Welfare Store Blues (1940) Songtext
von Sonny Boy Williamson

Welfare Store Track #14 2: 48
Sonny Boy Williamson I (John Lee)
(Walter Roland - ′Red Cross Blues')
John Lee Williamson - vocal and harmonica
With Joshua Altheimer - piano, Fred Williams - drums
Chicago May 17, 1940
Album: ′Sugar Mama'
The Essential Recordings of Sonny Boy Williamson
Indigo Recording Ltd IGOCD 2014

(Harmonica intro)

Now me an my baby we talked late last night
An we talked for another hour
She wanted me to go down to the welfare sto'
And get a sack a-that welfare flour

But I told her, ′No′
'Baby an I sho′ don't wanna go′
I said, 'I′ll do anything in the world for you
I don't wanna go down to that welfare sto'


Now, you need to go get you some real, white man
You know, to sign yo′ little note
They give ya a pair of them king-toed shoes
I want no a-them pleat-back, soldier coat

But I told ′er, 'No′
'Baby an I sho′ don't wanna go
I say, ′I'll do anything in the world for ya
'But I don′t wanna go down to that welfare sto′

(Harmonica, drums, guitar)

President Roosevelt said, on welfare people
They gonna treat ev'ryone right
Said, they give ya a can of them beans
An a can or two of them old tripe

But I told ′er, 'No′
'Baby, an I sho′ don't wanna go
I say, 'I′ll do anything in the world for ya
′But I don't wanna go down to that welfare sto′, now

Well now, me an my baby we talked yesterday
An we talked in my backyard
She said, 'I′ll take care-a you, Sonny Boy
Just as long as these times stay hard'
An I told her, ′Yeah, baby an I sho' won't have to go′


I said, ′If you do that for me
I won't have to go down to that welfare sto′.