REQ: CCR - Midnight Special

[Abigail]

Looking for lyrics to "Midnight Special" by Credence Clearwater
Revival.

Thanks

Abi

The e-mail address in the headers is bogus:

mailto:j.ol...@obvioustassie.net.au <remove the obvious>

[HeelsFans]

Don't know whether this is CCR's version or not.

MIDNIGHT SPECIAL (Huddle Ledbetter) (Artist: Johnny Rivers, Creedance
Clearwater Revival)

If you ever go to Houston you better walk right, you better not stagger and you
better not fight.
Sheriff Bentley will arrest you, he'll surely take you down. Judge Nelson'll
sentence you then you're jailhouse bound.
(or If the jury finds you guilty you'll be penitentiary bound.)
Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me. Let the Midnight Special shine
her ever loving light on me.
Yonder comes Miss Rosie! Tell me how you know? By the color of her apron and
the dress she wo'.
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand, she says to the Governor,
"Please turn loose my man."
Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me. Let the Midnight Special shine
her ever loving light on me.
Every Monday morning when the ding-dong rings, you go to the table see the same
damn things;
And on the table there's a knife and pan, say anything about it, you're in
trouble with the man.
Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me. Let the Midnight Special shine
her ever loving light on me.
I'm going away and leave you cause my time ain't long, the man is gonna call me
and I'll be gone,
Then I'll be done all my grieving, whooping, hollering, and a-crying then I'll
be done all my studying about my great long time.
Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me. Let the Midnight Special shine
her ever loving light on me.
Well, the biscuits on the table just as hard as any rock. If you try to
swallow them, break a convict's heart.
My sister wrote a letter, my mother wrote a card, "If you want to come to see
us, you'll have to ride the rods."
Let the Midnight Special shine her light on me. Let the Midnight Special shine
her ever loving light on me.

[GrapeApe]

What is odd about Fogartys version is that it is credited to Fogarty and not
Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly also has some songs credited to HIM that Lead
Belly didnt write either) who knows who owns them now. Lead Belly probably knew
some more verses that didnt make it here.

CCR's version

Well you wake up in the morning
you hear the work bell ring
and they march you to the table
you see the same old thing
aint no food on the table
aint no fork up in the pan
but you better not complain boy
you'll get in trouble with the man

Let the midnight special
shine a light on me
Let the midnight special
shine a light on me
Let the midnight special
shine a light on me
Let the midnight special
shine its everlovin light on me

Yonder come miss rosey
how in the world did you know
by the way she wears her apron
and the clothes she wore
umbrella on her shoulder

piece of paper in her hand

she come to see the govenor
she want to free her man

Chorus

If youre ever in houston
oh you better do right
you better not gamble
and you better not fight
or the sherrif will grab you
and the boys will bring you down
the next thing you know boy
oh youre prison bound

chorus

[Gunnar Hedlund]

The midnight special

Well, you wake up in the mornin', you hear the work bell ring,
And they march you to the table to see the same old thing.
Ain't no food upon the table, and no pork up in the pan.
But you better not complain, boy, you get in trouble with the man.

Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine a light on me,
Let the Midnight Special shine a everlovin' light on me.

Yonder come miss Rosie, how in the world did you know?
By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore.
Umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in her hand;
She come to see the gov'nor, she wants to free her man.

Let the midnight special . . .

If you're ever in Houston, well, you better do the right;
You better not gamble, there, you better not fight, at all
Or the sheriff will grab ya and the boys will bring you down.
The next thing you know, boy, Oh! You're prison bound.

peace, Gunnar