House Rent Blues

I'ma tell you a story about the house rent blues

I had a good job, sho'nuff, for five long years

Lord have mercy

The old landlady was so lovey-dovey for five long years

She was so nice and kind in every way

Every Friday evening, I'd come home with my paycheck

She'll smile, she was so lovey-dovey

My meals on time, my bath water be ready

Everything be ready

It rocked on

One Friday evening I come home

I said, "Landlady", she said, "What, Johnny?"

"I done lost my job"

She said, "What?"

"I done lost my job"

And I begin to notice then, when I come home in the evening time

She wouldn't smile, acted all sad

And I asked her, "What's wrong?"

Said, "I ain't feelin' good"

I said, "Lord have mercy"

It rocked on[Verse 3]

One Friday evening, I come in

She said, "Where you been?" "I've been looking for a job"

She said, "You ain't been tryin' to find no job"

I said, "Yes, I am"

And she told me, the other evening, she passed by

She saw me on the corner leaned against a post

I said, "I guess my feet was tired, I've been walking all day"

I'm tired, I just can't find no job

She say, "Yeah"

She say, "I wants my rent"

I said, "I ain't got no job"

It rocked on

I go towards the streets to a friend of mine

He had been so lovey-dovey to me for so long

And I told him, I say, "Hey"

He said, "What, Johnny?"

"I done lost my job"

He say, "Yeah"

I say, "I'm gonna stay here for a little while until I can get a job"

He said, "I don't know, let me go upstairs and see my wife, you know"

He goes upstairs, he comes back down

He said, "You know what? You know, she a little funny"

I said, "Yeah, and you funny, too; everybody's funny

When you ain't got no money, when you run out of money

Everybody's funny wit' ya"[Verse 5]

Then I go back towards the streets, you know, back to the old landlady

I'm gon' fool her, you know, to get my clothes out the house

I said, "Hey"

She said, "What?"

"I got a job"

She said, "Yeah, yeah, sho 'nuff, sho 'nuff, yeah

When you start the work?"

I said, "Oh baby, I start tomorrow"

She said, "Oh yeah? You hungry?"

I said, "Yeah"

She goes to the store, you know

I rush upstairs to get my clothes out, she's talkin' 'bout the front rent

She'll get nothin', she won't get the back rent and will get none of it

I'm gone