MY DADDY WAS A JOCKEY
(John Lee Hooker)

John Lee Hooker
recorded 1951


Yes my father was a jockey, and he taught me how to ride,
Yes my father was a jockey, and he taught me how to ride,
He said, "Once in the middle and then from side to side!"

He said, "Ride, Johnny ride, and ride 'til the break of day,
Yeah, ride, Johnny ride, and ride until the break of day,
I know you can ride 'cause you never lost a rein!".

Yes I ride so hard, sometime I ride all in my sleep,
Yes I ride so hard, sometime I ride all in my sleep,
'Cause my father was a jockey and he sure taught me how to ride!

I'm gonna ride in the mornin' and I ain't gonna ride no more,
I'm gonna ride in the mornin' and I ain't goin' to ride no more!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - October 2017)