Tom Rushen Blues

Laid down last night, hopin' I would have my peace, eee

I laid down last night, hopin' I would have my peace, eee

But when I woke up, Tom Rushen1 was shakin' me

When you get in trouble, it's no use to screamin' and cryin', hmm

When you get in trouble, it's no use to screamin' and cryin', hmm

Tom Rushen will take you, back to the prison house flyin'

It were late one night, Halloway was gone to bed, hmm

It were late one night, Halloway was gone to bed, hmm

Mister Day2 brought whiskey taken from under Halloway's head

An' it's boozy booze, now, Lord, to cure these blues

It takes boozy boo', Lord, to cure these blues

But each day seems like years in the jailhouse where there is no boo'

I got up this mornin', Tom Day was standin' around

I got up this mornin', Tom Day was standin' around

If he lose his office now, he's runnin' from town to town

Let me tell you folksies just how he treated me

Let me tell you folksies just how he treated me

Aw, he caught me yellin', I was drunk as I could be

__________

Note 1: Tom Rushen was the town sheriff of Merigold, Mississippi, around the time Patton recorded this song

Note 2: Tom Day had been the predecessor in office. This couplet undoubtedly remarks on the procedure of taking seized liquor to the county courthouse in order to establish proof of an illegal still.