Cornelius Bumpus

I'm sittin' in my room, I'm starin' out my window
And I wonder where you've gone
Thinking back on the happy hours just before the dawn
Outside the wind is blowin'
It seems to call your name again
Where have you gone

City streets and lonely highways
I travel down
My car is empty and the radio just seems to bring me down
I'm just tryin' to find me
A pretty smile that I can get into
It's true, I'm lost without you

Another lonely park, another Sunday
Why is it life turns out that way
Just when you think you got a good thing
It seems to slip away

It's warm outside, no clouds are in the sky
But I need myself a place to go and hide
I keep to myself
I don't want nobody else
To see me cryin' all those tears in my eyes

Another park, another Sunday
Why is it life turns out that way
Just when you think you got a good thing
It seems to slip away
Another park, another Sunday
It's dark and empty thanks to you
I got to get myself together
But it's hard to do

Well, I built me a raft and she's ready for floatin'
Ol' Mississippi, she's callin' my name
Catfish are jumpin'
That paddle wheel thumpin'
Black water keeps rollin' on past just the same
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything, pretty mama
Gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

Well, if it rains, I don't care
Don't make no difference to me
Just take that street car thats goin' up town
Yeah, I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
And dance a honky tonk
And I'll be buyin' ev'rybody drinks all 'roun'

Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Old black water, keep on rollin'
Mississippi moon, won't you keep on shinin' on me
Yeah, keep on shinin' your light
Gonna make everything, pretty mama
Gonna make everything all right
And I ain't got no worries
'Cause I ain't in no hurry at all

I'd like to hear some funky Dixieland
Pretty mama come and take me by the hand
By the hand, take me by the hand pretty mama
Come and dance with your daddy all night long
I want to honky tonk, honky tonk, honky tonk
With you all night long

E
When the sun comes up on the sleepy little town
D A E
Down around San Antone
E
and the folks are risin' for another day,
D A E
Round about their homes,
C#m B Bsus4 B
The people of the town are strange,
A Bb7 B7 C7
And they're proud of where they came,
E D A
Well you're talking 'bout China Grove
(Talking 'bout your China Grove )
E D A
Wo ho ho! ( Wo oh! ) (( China Grove ))

Well the preacher and the teacher
Lord they're a caution
They are the talk of the town
When the gossip gets to flying and they ain't lyin'
When the sun goes falling down

They say that the father's insane
and dear Miss Perkin's a game

We're talking 'bout your China Grove
( Talking 'bout your China Grove )
Wo ho ho! ( Wo oh! ) (( China Grove )) D A E

{ Oohs start } { B falsetto oohs }
G#m B C#m7
But every day there's a new thing coming
F#m7 C#m7
The ways of an Oriental view
The sheriff and his buddies with their samurai swords
F# F#sus4 F# F#sus4 F# G#m B
You can even hear the music at night
C#m7
and though it's a part of the Lone Star State
F#m7 C#m7
People don't seem to care
A Asus4 A CDE, CDE,
They just keep on looking to the east


We're talking 'bout your China Grove
( Talking 'bout your China Grove )
Wo ho ho! ( Wo oh! ) (( China Grove )) { STOP }

P}

E
When the sun comes up on the sleepy little town
D A E
Down around San Antone
E
and the folks are risin' for another day,
D A E
Round about their homes,
C#m B Bsus4 B
The people of the town are strange,
A Bb7 B7 C7
And they're proud of where they came,
E D A
Well you're talking 'bout China Grove
(Talking 'bout your China Grove )
E D A
Wo ho ho! ( Wo oh! ) (( China Grove ))

Well the preacher and the teacher
Lord they're a caution
They are the talk of the town
When the gossip gets to flying and they ain't lyin'
When the sun goes falling down

They say that the father's insane
and dear Miss Perkin's a game

We're talking 'bout your China Grove
( Talking 'bout your China Grove )
Wo ho ho! ( Wo oh! ) (( China Grove )) D A E

{ Oohs start } { B falsetto oohs }
G#m B C#m7
But every day there's a new thing coming
F#m7 C#m7
The ways of an Oriental view
The sheriff and his buddies with their samurai swords
F# F#sus4 F# F#sus4 F# G#m B
You can even hear the music at night
C#m7
and though it's a part of the Lone Star State
F#m7 C#m7
People don't seem to care
A Asus4 A CDE, CDE,
They just keep on looking to the east


We're talking 'bout your China Grove
( Talking 'bout your China Grove )
Wo ho ho! ( Wo oh! ) (( China Grove )) { STOP }

Red eyed momma keep cryin'
Blue eyed cat keeps a lyin'
Catfish keep his eye on the string
And that cotton mouth keep on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Dark moon keeps hidin'
And 'gator, he keeps right on slidin'
And bull frog, he ain't mindin'
Oh, cotton mouth keep on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Lightnin' bugs in bottles
They gimme all the light I need
And I'm seinin' bait for linin'
And that cotton mouth keeps on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Oh, that big iron pot's a boilin'
And that red eyed momma keeps toilin'
And the crawdad meat's for dinin'
And oh, that cotton mouth keeps on windin', Lord
Sing, sing, sing

Red eyed momma keep cryin'
Blue eyed cat keeps a lyin'
Catfish keep his eye on the string
And that cotton mouth keep on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Dark moon keeps hidin'
And 'gator, he keeps right on slidin'
And bull frog, he ain't mindin'
Oh, cotton mouth keep on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Lightnin' bugs in bottles
They gimme all the light I need
And I'm seinin' bait for linin'
And that cotton mouth keeps on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Oh, that big iron pot's a boilin'
And that red eyed momma keeps toilin'
And the crawdad meat's for dinin'
And oh, that cotton mouth keeps on windin', Lord
Sing, sing, sing

Red eyed momma keep cryin'
Blue eyed cat keeps a lyin'
Catfish keep his eye on the string
And that cotton mouth keep on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Dark moon keeps hidin'
And 'gator, he keeps right on slidin'
And bull frog, he ain't mindin'
Oh, cotton mouth keep on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Lightnin' bugs in bottles
They gimme all the light I need
And I'm seinin' bait for linin'
And that cotton mouth keeps on windin'
Sing, sing, sing

Oh, that big iron pot's a boilin'
And that red eyed momma keeps toilin'
And the crawdad meat's for dinin'
And oh, that cotton mouth keeps on windin', Lord
Sing, sing, sing

I think back to the time
When I first saw your face
You were walkin' across the delta
To your cold and lonely place
You know, I took you for a small girl
Really not quite seventeen
Oh, Lord, but I was wrong, oh so wrong
You're like a woman I've never seen
Dark eyed Cajun woman
Where are you comin' from
Your soul is in the back woods
They say you never had a home
But I'm gonna know you better
If it takes all night and day
Dark eyed Cajun woman
You'll never get away, no, no

Now the evenin' is blowin'
I hear your voice most everywhere
Your cold, black eyes
They are dancin' in the starlight
Warmin' the cold night air
It's so beautiful, you know I have to say
Dark eyed Cajun woman
You'll never get away

When I was so low
You were there to lift me up
Well, there's one thing that I know for sure
You're gonna win life's lovin' cup
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

Dependin' on you

And when I get too high
You are there to cool me down
So fine, someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground

Dependin' on you

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

I just keep dependin' on you
Someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground
So fine...

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side...

When I was so low
You were there to lift me up
Well, there's one thing that I know for sure
You're gonna win life's lovin' cup

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

Dependin' on you

And when I get too high
You are there to cool me down
So fine, someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground

Dependin' on you

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

I just keep dependin' on you
Someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground
So fine

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side

When I was so low
You were there to lift me up
Well, there's one thing that I know for sure
You're gonna win life's lovin' cup

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

Dependin' on you

And when I get too high
You are there to cool me down
So fine, someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground

Dependin' on you

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

I just keep dependin' on you
Someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground
So fine

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side

When I was so low
You were there to lift me up
Well, there's one thing that I know for sure
You're gonna win life's lovin' cup

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

Dependin' on you

And when I get too high
You are there to cool me down
So fine, someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground

Dependin' on you

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side
Darlin', you're always there at my rescue

I just keep dependin' on you
Someone to turn to
Keepin' my feet on the ground
So fine

Darlin', you're always there at my rescue
Dependin' on you
Darlin', you're always there by my side
You're always there by my side

Night time, I jumped back in the alley
Saw a shadow closin' in
And blue smoke all around the figure
A knife blade is flashing grim
I made my move to get away
Seems like nowhere to run
All of a sudden I was blinded by a flash
Devil of a man with a gun

Lightnin', it crackled all around me
Storm clouds are movin' in
The blue smoke cleared so fast around me
The strange hunter's gone again
I looked up to see what had happened
There he stood in front of me
He had a silver cape and eyes of red
With a button down limousine

Goin' down to Rosie's
Stop at Fanny May's
Gonna tell Fanny what I heard her boyfriend say
Now don't you start me talkin'
I'll tell ev'rything I know
I'm gonna break up this signifyin'
'Cause somebody gotta go

Jack gave his wife two dollar
Go down to the market
Get out on the street, ol' George stopped her
He knocked her down
And blacked her eye
She get back home and tell her husband a lie
Now don't you start me talkin'
I'll tell ev'rything I know
I'm gonna break up this signifyin'
'Cause somebody gotta go

She borrowed some money
To go to the beauty shop
"I'm goin' to a place where I can get my hair sot"
Now don't you start me talkin'
I'll tell ev'rything I know
I'm gonna break up this signifyin'
'Cause somebody gotta go

I was trashed, ridin' on my 74
Goin' out to even the score
She pulled the top down on her convertible
I've got a lot of miles to cover
But if you think you need a lover
All right
Climb on, hold tight, I got a long ride tonight

Look out, hold on
Don't stop to watch the wheels go 'round
Look out, hold on
I got to cover ground

Well, I flashed the colors that I wore
I got to have a little more
Of this sweet, sweet thing
I've got a lot of miles to cover
But if you think you need a lover
All right

Climb on, hold tight, I got a long ride tonight

Look out, hold on
Don't stop to watch the wheels go 'round
Look out, hold on
I got to cover ground...

I've heard it said that the weight of the world's problems
Is enough to make the ball fall right through space
That it ain't even worth it to live
With all that's goin' wrong
Well, let me just go down as saying
That I'm glad to be here
Here with all the same pain and laughs everybody knows

Some men think they're born to be king
Maybe that's true
But I think passing love around
Is all we were born to do

Let them build their kingdoms
Let them make the laws for this world to heed
'Cause you and I make life worth living
Right here in each other's arms

I'm here to love you, baby
No more loneliness
No more emptiness
I'm here to love you

Let them build their kingdoms
Let them make the laws for this world to heed
'Cause you and I make life worth living
Right here in each other's arms

I'm here to love you, baby
No more loneliness
No more emptiness
I'm here to love you...

I'm here to love you

Just let me go on loving you
Don't stop me now while I'm feeling this way...

I've heard it said that the weight of the world's problems
Is enough to make the ball fall right through space
That it ain't even worth it to live
With all that's goin' wrong

Well, let me just go down as saying
That I'm glad to be here
Here with all the same pain and laughs everybody knows

Some men think they're born to be king
Maybe that's true
But I think passing love around
Is all we were born to do

Let them build their kingdoms
Let them make the laws for this world to heed
'Cause you and I make life worth living
Right here in each other's arms

I'm here to love you, baby
No more loneliness
No more emptiness
I'm here to love you

Let them build their kingdoms
Let them make the laws for this world to heed
'Cause you and I make life worth living
Right here in each other's arms

I'm here to love you, baby
No more loneliness
No more emptiness
I'm here to love you
I'm here to love you

Just let me go on loving you
Don't stop me now while I'm feeling this way

Oh, I hand them this life
To do what they will
They've got to find their way from here
Oh, show us the way
If they only knew
Oh, show us the light
Show them what light?
It shines from within
You make your own day
You make your own night
And sometimes you win
Oh, show us the way
But you always get through
Oh, show us the light

Oh, why do they come and ask for more?
They've got stars they don't have wishes for
They're just givin' up their blame to me
How do the fools survive?

I'm wonderin' why, I'm wonderin' how
They're gonna bail themselves out now
Oh, give us this day
I'm shakin' my head
Oh, keep us through night

Oh, I hand them this life
To do what they will
They've got to find their way from here
Oh, show us the way
If they only knew
Oh, show us the light

Oh, why do they come and ask for more?
They've got stars they don't have wishes for
They're just givin' up their blame to me
How do the fools survive?

It's not like it was before
When they call I won't come running
It was so long ago
I left them on their own
Oh, how do the fools survive?