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The Ballad of Spider John Lyrics
Spider John is my name, friends
I'm in between freights, and I sure would be obliged
If I could share your company
I'm on my way to nowhere
I been runnin' from my past
Runnin' from the things I used to be
Now I know my words sound strange to you
But if you'll wait till my song is sung and my story's told
You might come to understand
Why I'm old and bent and devil's been runnin' out of time
When I long ago held a royal flush in my hand.
Oh, I was a super market fool, I was a roll-the-bank, a
Stool pigeon
Robbing my hometown
I thought I'd lost the blues, yes, I thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style
But here I sit ol' spider john
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, ol' spider john with the loaded hand
Taking ransom
Then one day I met diamond lil
She was the sweetest thing, I declare,
That the summer breeze ever blown my way
But, lady, she had no idea my illustrious occupation
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray
But you see that word got around and lily left town
Never saw her again
Tossin' and turnin', causin' my heart to grieve
Oh, I was a super market fool, I was roll-the-bank, stool pigeon
Robbing my hometown.
I thought I'd lost my blues, thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.
But here I sit ol' spider john,
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, ol' spider john with the loaded hand
Taking ransom
That is all my story
Been these thirty years since I took to the road
Find my precious jewel one
If you see my lily, won't you give her my regards
Tell her ol' spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun
You can tell her that ol' spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun
I'm in between freights, and I sure would be obliged
If I could share your company
I been runnin' from my past
Runnin' from the things I used to be
But if you'll wait till my song is sung and my story's told
You might come to understand
Why I'm old and bent and devil's been runnin' out of time
When I long ago held a royal flush in my hand.
Stool pigeon
Robbing my hometown
I thought I'd lost the blues, yes, I thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, ol' spider john with the loaded hand
Taking ransom
She was the sweetest thing, I declare,
That the summer breeze ever blown my way
But, lady, she had no idea my illustrious occupation
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray
But you see that word got around and lily left town
Never saw her again
Tossin' and turnin', causin' my heart to grieve
Robbing my hometown.
I thought I'd lost my blues, thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.
But here I sit ol' spider john,
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, ol' spider john with the loaded hand
Taking ransom
Been these thirty years since I took to the road
Find my precious jewel one
If you see my lily, won't you give her my regards
Tell her ol' spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun
In the black web that he spun
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First off, Willis Alan Ramsey does an amazing job.
This song is spelled out well, i guess there is a few things to touch on.
Ive always thought that this was such a sad song, because Spider John seems like such a nice and well rounded person at this point in his life, seems content with being left alone, almost accepts the fate of the hand he dealt himself. Most sinners and criminals are not so easy to take something that goes the opposite way of their likings. I guess that is the power of love, helping someone realize that there is more to life then power and money.
I would say this song's message is to let people know that, no matter what you do in life it is always possible to find love, but be weary of what you do in life because your past can come back and haunt you.