Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

Black Betty (Lead Belly cover)

4 Meanings

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Black Betty (Lead Belly cover) Lyrics

Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Well the sun done gone

The captain can't hold her
The captain can't hold her
The captain can't hold her
The way I do now

Ada got a gold mine
Ada got a gold mine
Ada got a gold mine
Way above her knees

The shiv ? is golden
The shiv ? is golden
The shiv ? is golden
Above her knees

Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Well the sun done gone

Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Oh, Betty Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Oh, Betty Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam
Black Betty didn't mind, bam-e-lam
Black Betty didn't mind, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was blind, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was blind, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Black Betty, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Black Betty, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Jump steady Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Jump steady Black Betty, bam-e-lam

That Monday, I was arrested
Tuesday, I locked up in jail
Wednesday baby, my trial's tested
On Thursday, nobody could blow my bail

Yes, I'm almost done
Yes, I'm almost done
Yes, I'm almost done
And I ain't gonna yell against no bells

On Monday, baby I went a-walking
Tuesday, I asked to go
On Wednesday I sat down a-talking
On Thursday she hock all a my clothes

Yes, I'm almost done
Yes, I'm almost done
Yes, I'm almost done
And I ain't gonna ? no more

Submitted by

dressed2depress On Jun 26, 2006

Red Right Hand

Into My Arms

Where the Wild Roses Grow (feat. Kylie Minogue)

O Children

The Mercy Seat

Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Well the sun done gone

The captain can't hold her 
The captain can't hold her 
The captain can't hold her 
The way I do now

Ada got a gold mine 
Ada got a gold mine 
Ada got a gold mine 
Way above her knees

The shiv ? is golden
The shiv ? is golden
The shiv ? is golden
Above her knees

Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Look-a look-a yonder
Well the sun done gone

Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam 
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam 
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam 
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam 
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Oh, Betty Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Oh, Betty Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam
Black Betty had a baby, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was crazy, bam-e-lam
Black Betty didn't mind, bam-e-lam 
Black Betty didn't mind, bam-e-lam 
Damn thing was blind, bam-e-lam
Damn thing was blind, bam-e-lam
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Wohoh, Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Black Betty, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Black Betty, Black Betty, bam-e-lam
Jump steady Black Betty, bam-e-lam 
Jump steady Black Betty, bam-e-lam

That Monday, I was arrested
Tuesday, I locked up in jail
Wednesday baby, my trial's tested
On Thursday, nobody could blow my bail

Yes, I'm almost done 
Yes, I'm almost done 
Yes, I'm almost done 
And I ain't gonna yell against no bells

On Monday, baby I went a-walking
Tuesday, I asked to go
On Wednesday I sat down a-talking
On Thursday she hock all a my clothes

Yes, I'm almost done 
Yes, I'm almost done 
Yes, I'm almost done 
And I ain't gonna ? no more

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Let the lyrics be lyrics

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When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

Mellow_Harsher

2013-02-13 02:46:45

Dressed2Depress

Submitter

2006-06-26 22:13:11

4 Meanings

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by force263

10y ago

3 comments, not one addressing what the friggin' song is actually about, this is what keeps this site from being good. Thanks for nothing, all!

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by lukey2411

18y ago

It's credited to Leadbelly on the B Sides and Rarities album, disc 1.

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by Sander_vn

19y ago

This song is actually a medley of three songs:

the first part is a song I don' t know, maybe it is written by Cave himself.
the second part obviously is the chorus of Black Betty by Ram Jam
the thrid part, rather interestingly is a song by Leadbelly, an important, yet underestimated Blues player from the 1920's & 30's: Leadbelly. His song "on a monday" ( http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3530822107858657853 )was also the inspiration for a Johnny Cash song "I got stripes" : http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=3530822107858589954 although Cash omitted the strange part "Yes I'm almost done"

-1

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by smallwonderrobot

19y ago

Leadbelly sang "Black Betty" too... I think it's all Leadbelly songs.

-1

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