Essential Charlie Poole

I went up to a lady's house
To bum a bite to eat
She fed me on some pork and beans
And pie, I called it sweet
She says, "Now, Bill
I sure did feed you good
Will you walk out in my backyard
And chop a stick of wood?"

You ain't talkin' to me,
No you ain't a-talkin' to me
I may be crazy and all like that
But I got good sense, you see
You ain't talkin' to me
No you ain't a-talkin' to me
You fed me good but I can't cut wood
And you ain't a-talkin' to me

Now me and my wife has ups and downs
All throughout married life
Said to me one day, "Bill
Let's stop these scars and strife"
We went out upon the lake
One evening just about dusk
Said, "Now we'll drown ourselves
No one to grieve for us"

You ain't a-talkin' to me
No you ain't talkin' to me
I may be crazy and all like that
But I got good sense, you see
You ain't a-talkin' to me
No you ain't a-talkin' to me
When the lake goes dry it's time to die
And you ain't talkin' to me

A handsome noble-looking man came walking down the street
Beside him strolled a little girl both beautiful and sweet
Unconscious of the many eyes so lovely they were cast
On the father and his little angel child

From over the way there came a lady
Burning tears seemed to blind her eyes
"Oh, look, Papa, there goes Mama," cried the little innocent
But the father quickly drew his babe away

She has fallen by the wayside
She has gone beyond recall
Not a hand would stretch to save her
Not a friend that she could call
Every door has closed against her
Not a (friend/soul) for her will mourn
She has fallen by the wayside
She has gone beyond recall

In a cozy little cottage sitting close behind the trees
All around the porch grew ivy
and a pathway strewn with leaves
In a cozy little parlor sitting close beside the fire
Was a happy little family at home

Pressed close beside the cottage window
A sad face was looking in
"Take me back," the poor one whispered, it came
from an aching heart
It was Lucy, she had gone beyond recall