Midnight Special
Public domain - full karaoke IMMHA-L138
Credit: Traditional · before 1931
Origin: Traditional American folk song (prison song), widely collected before 1931. Public domain.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Special_(song)
Lyrics sheet: courtesy of Country Roads Folk Music Camp, Mount Madonna County Park, California (about the camp)
Original scan: from John's songbook (scan to be posted on @IMMHACAL)
Chords as printed on the original song sheet. Key of E, 4/4, 16-bar blues (typed sheet, as written).
E7 A7 E Now you wake up in the mornin', you hear the ding-dong ring. B7 A7 E E7 You go marchin' to the table, you see the same ol' thing. A7 E Well it's on the table, a knife, a fork an' a pan. B7 A7 E E7 You say anythin' about it, you're in trouble with the man. Chorus: A7 E Oh, let the Midnight Special shine her light on me. B7 A7 E Oh, let the Midnight Special shine her ever-lovin' light on me. E7 A7 Well, if you ever go to Houstan, man, you'd better walk right; B7 A7 E E7 And you'd better not stagger, and you'd better not fight. A7 E 'Cause the sheriff will arrest you, he's gonna take you down. B7 A7 E E7 An' when the jury find you guilty, you're penitentiary bound. [Chorus and break] E7 A7 Well yonder comes Miss Rosie; how in the world did you know? B7 A7 E E7 Well, I knew her by her apron an' the dress she wore. A7 E Well, she brought me a little coffee, an' she brought me a little tea. B7 A7 E E7 Well, she brought me nearly everything, 'cept the jailhouse key. [Chorus] E7 A7 Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand, B7 A7 E E7 She goes a-marchin' to the captain, says I want my man. A7 E Captain say to little Rosie, you know he's comin' off the chain. B7 A7 E E7 Forty dollars in his pocket an' two tickets for the train. [Chorus two times]