My Black Mama, pt. 1 (1930)

Hey, black mama, what's the matter with you?
Said it ain't satisfaction, don't care what I do
Hey, mama, what's the matter with you?
Said it ain't satisfaction, baby, don't care what I do

You take a brown-skinned woman will make a rabbit move to town
But a jet-black woman will make a mule kick his stable down
Oh, a brown skinned woman will make a rabbit move to town
Oh, but a jet-black woman will make a mule kick his stable down

Ain't no heaven, ain't no burnin' hell
Where I'm goin' when I die, can't nobody tell
Oh, it ain't no heaven now, ain't no burnin' hell
Oh, where I'm goin' when I die, can't nobody tell

Well, my black mama's face shines like the sun
Oh, lipstick and powder sure won't help her none
My black mama's face shines like the sun
Oh, lipstick and powder, well, that sure won't help her none

Well, you see my milk cow, tell her hurry home
I ain't had no milk since that cow been gone
If you see my milk cow, tell her hurry home
Yeah, I ain't had no milk since that cow been gone

Well, I'm going to the racetrack to see my pony run
He ain't the best in the world but he's a runnin' son of a gun
I'm going to the racetrack to see my pony run
He ain't the best in the world but he's a runnin' son of a gun

Oh, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul
Wouldn't mistreat you baby for my weight in gold
Oh, Lord have mercy on my wicked soul