“Mississippi Jail House Groan”

Description

Singer, in jail, sleeps "with my back turned to the wall." His woman brings coffee and tea -- everything but the jailhouse key. His parents say he has too many women; he looks at his mother, hangs his head, cries; if his woman kills him he's ready to die

Notes

Again, the narrative in this song just sneaks under the wire as a ballad, but it does. - PJS

Cross references

• cf. "The Midnight Special" (floating lyrics)

Recordings

• Rube [Reubin] Lacy, "Mississippi Jail House Groan" (Paramount 12629, 1928; on BefBlues1)