Stew Meat Blues
Stew Meat Blues
Original Text
Anna Stong Bourgeois, Blueswomen: Profiles of 37 Early Performers, with an Anthology of Lyrics, 1920-1945 (Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 1996): 23-4.
1A man say I have something, look like new.
3Say he's goin up the river, tryin' to sell his sacks.
4He will pay me for the stuff when the boat gets back.
5Now you can go on up the river, man, and sell your sacks.
6You can pay me for my stew, when the boat gets back.
7
8I got good stew and it's got to be sold.
9Price ain't high I want to get you told.
10Go on up the river, man, and sell your sacks.
11There'll be stew meat here, baby when the boat gets back.
12
13Now look here man, what you want me to do?
14Give you my stew meat and credit you too.
15You go on up the river, oh, and sell your sacks.
16'Cause I'll have that stew meat here, when that boat gets back.
17
18I credit one man, it was to my sorrow.
19His cash today, credit tomorrow.
20So, hurry up the river, baby, and try to sell your sacks.
21There's gonna be meat here, when that boat gets back.
22
23Now it's ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
24You try my stuff one time you can't get enough.
25So go on up the river, man and sell your stuff.
26'Cause the stuff will be here, baby, when the boat gets back.
Notes
2] stew: an early English term for a red-light district of brothels was the stews. Back to Line
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2009
Rhyme
Form