Bessie Smith Follow

Judge you wanna hear my plea
Before you open up your court
But I don't want no sympathy
'Cause I'm done, cut my good man's throat

I caught him with a trifling Jane
I warned him 'bout before
I had my knife and went insane
And the rest you ought to know

Judge, Judge, please mister Judge
Send me to the 'lectric chair
Judge, Jedge, good Mister Judge
Let me go away from here

I wanna take a journey
To the devil down below
I done killed my man
I wanna reap just what I've sowed

Oh Judge, Judge, Lordy Lordy Judge
Send me to the 'lectric chair
Judge, Judge, hear me Judge
Send me to the 'lectric chair

I love him so dear

I cut him with my barlow
I kicked him in the side
I stood there laughing over him
While he wallowed 'round and died

Oh Judge, Judge, Lordy Judge
Send me to the 'lectric chair
Judge, Judge, sweet mister Judge
Send me to the 'lectric chair

Judge, Judge, good kind Judge
Burn me 'cause I don't care

I don't want no good mayor
To go my bail
I don't want to spend no
Ninety-nine years in jail

So Judge, Judge, good kind Judge
Send me to the 'lectric chair

Judge you wanna hear my plea
Before you open up your court
But I don't want no sympathy