Charley Patton - Tom Rushen Blues lyrics

Laid down last night, hopin' I would have my peace, eee I laid down last night, hopin' I would have my peace, eee But when I woke up, Tom Rushen1 was shakin' me When you get in trouble, it's no use to screamin' and cryin', hmm When you get in trouble, it's no use to screamin' and cryin', hmm Tom Rushen will take you, back to the prison house flyin' It were late one night, Halloway was gone to bed, hmm It were late one night, Halloway was gone to bed, hmm Mister Day2 brought whiskey taken from under Halloway's head An' it's boozy booze, now, Lord, to cure these blues It takes boozy boo', Lord, to cure these blues But each day seems like years in the jailhouse where there is no boo' I got up this mornin', Tom Day was standin' around I got up this mornin', Tom Day was standin' around If he lose his office now, he's runnin' from town to town Let me tell you folksies just how he treated me Let me tell you folksies just how he treated me Aw, he caught me yellin', I was drunk as I could be __________ Note 1: Tom Rushen was the town sheriff of Merigold, Mississippi, around the time Patton recorded this song Note 2: Tom Day had been the predecessor in office. This couplet undoubtedly remarks on the procedure of taking seized liquor to the county courthouse in order to establish proof of an illegal still.