WASHBOARD BLUES
(Hoagy Carmichael / Callahan / Mills)

Hoagy Carmichael (vocal & piano)
with Paul Whiteman & his Concert Orchestra
November 8th 1927


Mornin' comes with cloudy skies and rain,
My poor back am broke with pain.
My man's sleepin', I just scrubbin',
Chillin', weepin', I do rubbin',
Age a-creepin', clothes a-tubbin',
All day long.
Up to dat washin' soap
And down to dat water once more.
Head down low, head low.
Up to dat washin' soap
And down to dat water once more
Poor hands go, oh lawdy,
So weary of scrubbin', days dreary,
So weary of tubbin' them clothes!
Up to dat washin' soap
And down to dat water once more,
Washboard blues!

Never get me gone from here,
Scrubbin' dirty clothes all year!
Dem clothes,
Dem muckety clothes,
Dem raggedy clothes,
Dem grimy clothes,
That's all I know,
Up and down, back and forth, all day long!
Oh lawdy, won't you hear my song, hear my song?

Washin' in a shanty on de shore,
The river swingin' on by de door.
Hear dat river, lowly callin',
I's a-shiver, night's a-fallin',
Hear dat river lowly moanin', moanin' low.

I a-goin' to dat river,
Goin' down to dat river some day.
Hurry day, hurry day, hurry day, hurry!
I a-goin' to dat river,
Goin' down to dat river some day,
Throw myself, my poor self, self away!
Oh lawdy, must a-keep scrubbin',
Must a-keep tubbin',
Must a-keep drubbin',
Must a-keep tubbin'
Them ole dirty clothes!
But I'm goin' to dat river,
Goin' down to dat river some day,
Hurry day, hurry day, hurry day, hurry!




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - February 2018)