Midnight Special
Midnight Special
Notes
New versions of this song are always appearing, such as those with words and music by Huddie Ledbetter (1936) or, most recently, that by John Cameron Fogerty as performed by Credence Clearwater Revival (CCR) -- a version related to different traditional lyrics (see below, note to line 25):
Well, you wake up in the mornin'Back to Line
you hear the work bell ring
and they march you to the table
you see the same old thing
ain't no food upon the table
ain't no fork up in the pan
but you better not complain, boy
you get in trouble with the man.Let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a everlovin' light on me.Yonder come miss Rosy, how in the world did you know?
by the way she wears her apron
and the clothes she wore
umbrella on her shoulder
piece of paper in her hand
she come to see the gov'nor
she wants to free her man.Let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a everlovin' light on me.If you're ever in Houston
well, you better do right
you'd better not gamble
and you'd better not fight
or the sheriff will grab you
and the boys'll bring you down
the next thing you know, boy
oh you're prison boundOh let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a light on me
let the midnight special
shine a everlovin' light on me.
Yonder come Roberta! Tell me how do you know?Back to Line
By de color ob her apron and de dress she wo'.
Umberella on her shoulder, piece o' paper in her han',
She says to de cap'n: "I want my man!"
Let de Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Oh twenty long years in de pen-i-ten-tiar-y!