Old man down

Way down, down, down by the docks of the city

Blind and dirty

Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee

I got no dime but I got some time to hear his story

My name is August West

And I love my Pearly Baker best more than my wine

More than my wine

More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine

Everyone said

I'd come to no good, I knew I would Pearly, believe them

Half of my life

I spent doin' time for some other fucker's crime

The other half found me stumbling around drunk on Burgundy wine

But I'll get back on my feet someday

The good Lord willin', if He says I may

I know that the life I'm livin's no good

I'll get a new start, live the life I should

I'll get up and fly away

I'll get up and fly away, fly away

Pearly's been true

True to me, true to my dyin' day he said

I said to him

I said to him, "I'm sure she's been"

I said to him, "I'm sure she's been true to you"

I got up and wandered

Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but to just hang around

I've got a girl

Named Bonnie Lee, I know that girl's been true to me

I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me