Old man down, way down, down by the docks of the city
Blind and dirty, he asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee
I got no dime, I got some time to hear his story
My name is August West, and I love my Pearly Baker better than all my wine
More than my wine, more than my maker, though he's no friend of mine
Half of my life, I spent doing time for some other f**er's crime
The other half I've spent stumbling 'round, drunk off of Burgundy wine
Gotta get back on my feet someday
The good Lord willing, if He says I may
I know that the life I'm living'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
I'll get up and fly away, fly away
I got up and wandered, I wandered downtown
Nowhere to go, just to hang around
I 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
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me
Girlfriend has been true
She's been true to me, true to my dying day
I said, sure she's been true