Sweet Home Chicago
Johnson, Robert
Ooh, baby don't you want to go?
Ooh, baby don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California1, to my sweet home Chicago
Ooh, baby don't you want to go?
Ooh, baby don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California1, to my sweet home Chicago
Now one and one is two, two and two is four
I'm heavy loaded baby, I'm booked, I gotta go
Cryin' baby, honey don't you want to go?
Back to the land of California1, to my sweet home Chicago
Now two and two is four, four and two is six
You gonna keep monkey'in 'round here friend-boy2,
you gonna get your business all in a trick
But I'm cryin' baby, honey don't you wanna go
Back to the land of California1, to my sweet home Chicago
Now six and two is eight, eight and two is ten
Friend-boy, she trick you one time, she sure gonna do it again
But I'm cryin' hey, baby don't you want to go
To the land of California1, to my sweet home Chicago
I'm goin' to California, from there to Des Moines, Iowa'y3
Somebody will tell me that you, need my help someday,
cryin', hey hey, baby don't you want to go
Back to the land of California1, to my sweet home Chicago
__________
Note: the source for this song is probably Kokomo Arnold's
popular song "Old Original Kokomo Blues", recorded in 1934;
1) confusing California for Illinois suggests that
Robert Johnson had not been yet to Chicago prior to the
recording of this song. Another explanation is offered by
Patrick Clark: "I do believe that he was simply using the
phrase "the land of California" as an alternative way of
stating "that place of great riches". California as a
metaphor for the land of milk and honey, it is a
possibility. Thanks to Patrick for this contribution;
2) friend-boy is a dialectic synonym for "boyfriend"
when used between men;
3) "from there to Des Moines, Iowa-y" is best-guess
work based on the phonetics.
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