A great blues tune by
Noah Lewis played by
the Grateful Deaf in their early years. Recently picked back up by
Phil Lesh when he played with members of
Phish in April 1999. Also performed by
Ry Cooder for the soundtrack
Crossroads.
Viola Lee Blues
Lyrics and music:
Noah Lewis
The
judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it
The
clerk he wrote it down, yes indeed-e
The judge decreed it, the clerk he wrote it down
After this
jail sentence, you must be
Nashville bound
Some got six months, some got one solid
Some got one solid year, indeed-e
Some got six months, some got one solid year
But me and my buddy,
we got lifetime here
I wrote a
letter, mailed it in the
Mailed it in the air
I wrote a letter, mailed it in the air
You may know my brother, I've got a friend somewhere
The original version by Noah Lewis doesn't include the final verse sung by the
Grateful Dead. Instead, it has a verse something like:
?? let me go to
Let me go to bed, indeed-e
Big moma ?? let me go to bed
I've beem drinking white lightning, and it just gone to my head
Recorded on:
The Grateful Dead in that long ago year of
the summer of love: 1967