When I get off of this mountain

You know where I want to go


Straight down the Mississippi river


To the Gulf of Mexico




To Lake Charles, Louisiana


Little Bessie, a girl that I once knew

And she told me just to come on by


If there's anything she could do




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Up on Cripple Creek she sends me


If I spring a leak she mends me

I don't have to speak she defends me


A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one




Good luck had just stung me


To the race track I did go


She bet on one horse to win

And I bet on another to show





Odds were in my favor

I had him five to one


When that nag to win came around the track


Sure enough he had won




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I took up all of my winnings


And I gave my little Bessie half


And she tore it up and blew it in my face

Just for a laugh





Now there's one thing in the whole wide world

I sure would like to see


That's when that little love of mine


Dips her doughnut in my tea




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Now me and my mate were back at the shack

We had Spike Jones on the box

She said, "I can't take the way he sings


But I love to hear him talk"




Now that just gave my heart a fall

To the bottom of my feet

And I swore as I took another pull


My Bessie can't be beat



{Refrain}




Now, it's hot in California

And up north it's freezing cold


And this living off the road

Is getting pretty old



So I guess I'll call up my big mama


Tell her I'll be rolling in

Bet you know, deep down, I'm kinda tempted

To go and see my Bessie again




{Refrain}