Government Camp Blues - Son House

An' I’m knockin' on her door

She said she’s tired of me

Don’t want me here no more

She said, «Stop your pissin', moanin' and groanin'

Or sleep outside with them dogs»

Now honey, let me please explain

'Cause I didn’t mean you no wrong

I didn’t mean to hurt you, baby

I wouldn’t do that to you

She said, «Bite your lip, now, sweet child

You’re the bastard son of a thousand blues»

Well, my daddy was gone by the day I was born

And my mama I have never seen

I was born in the back of a black Cadillac

And raised by a Gypsy queen

And as a child I was hell gone wild

Raised in the eye of a storm

By the time I was ten, I was doing time again

'Cause I knew what that gun was for

Oh no no, I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues

Oh no no, don’t know what I’m gonna do

Oh no no, I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues

Oh no no, tell me mama, what am I gonna do?

Ladies have come and ladies have gone

But there’s one I remember quite well

Years have gone past but her memory lasts

But the stories I cannot tell

Well, I’ve lived and I’ve lied

And I’ve loved and I’ve tried

To put my soul to good use

Guess I’m s*** out of luck

'Cause that name, it just stuck

I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues, dig

Oh no no, I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues

Oh no no, don’t know what I’m gonna do

Oh no no, I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues

Oh no no, tell me, what am I gonna do?

Oh no no, I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues

Oh no no, I don’t know, what am I gonna do?

Oh no no, b-b-bastard's, bastard’s son, bastard son, baby

Oh no no, I don’t know what I’m gonna do

Oh no no, I’m the bastard, bastard, bad, bad (?)

I’m the bastard, I’m the bastard son of a thousand blues

An' I’m knockin' on her door

She said she’s tired of me