DIRTY BUTTER
(Minnie Wallace)

recorded by Minnie Wallace
September 23rd 1929 Memphis


Old Aunt Dinah, she's a sister o' the church,
She takes her drink, she says it will not hurt!
I met her one day comin' down Beale Street,
She was so drunk until she could not see!

And it's dirty butter,
And it's dirty butter,
'Tain't no use you talkin',
It's dirty butter!

Some folks say a preacher won't steal,
I caught a preacher in my watermelon field.
He took that watermelon off the vine,
Preacher was runnin' when I thought he was flyin'!

And it's dirty butter,
It's dirty butter,
'Tain't no use you talkin',
It's dirty butter!

They had me 'fore the judge for selling corn,
He made me hate the day that I ever was born.
I turned my face right to the wall,
He said "one hundred and ten", and, course, that's all!

And it's dirty butter,
It's dirty butter
'Tain't no use you talkin',
It's dirty butter!

I went to the ball the other night,
My man danced with a gal, her dress was too tight.
She done the shimmy, she wobble right across the hall,
She made a miss step, you mighta seen her fall!

It was dirty butter,
It was dirty butter,
'Tain't no use you talkin',
It's dirty butter!

Early one mornin' 'bout half past four,
A big police was knocking on my door.
He had a glass of whisky right in his hand,
He's gonna arrest me and take me to the promised land!

It was dirty butter,
It was dirty butter,
'Tain't no use you talkin',
It's dirty butter!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - February 2016)