Follow me down
Follow me down
Follow me down by Mr. Tom Hughes' town

This song was made when I was a boy
I put on long pants
I go down on Fannin Street and I goes into the bellhouse
The chicks is all again a-jumpin' around me and drinkin'
And I was sittin' there thinkin'
He says, "what is you thinkin' about?"
I said, "I'm settin' up a tune about Fannin Street"
He said, "Let's hear it"

My mama told me
"Women in Shreveport, son
Gonna be the death of you"

I told my mama
"Mama, you don't know me
Women in Shreveport kill me
Why don't you let me?"

I broke my mama's heart
When I broke my mama's heart, she come in a-cryin'

I couldn't stand to hear my mama cryin'
I go and fall on my knees
And beg her pardon for the words I said
I went to my mama, fell down on my knees
Crying, "Oh, Lordy, mama
Will you forgive me?"
I got a woman living on the backside of the jail
Make an honest living by the working of her tail