(Song title from Bukka White’s catalogue, by B. White)

I saw a young girl standing on the bridge,
Golden hair,
Rosy lips and frightened eyes,
Water runs from deep inside,
She stares across the Thames as it flows fast and rough,
She’s fixin’ to die; she’s had enough.

(Song title from Howlin’ Wolf’s catalogue, by Willie Dixon)

Red sky,
Blood red with dark clouds billowing out on high,
A shadowy troupe approach,
Closer and closer they begin to encroach,
Four stallions and their riders strong,
The devil on their shoulder whispering evil wrongs,
The fear in my eyes turns to tears on my cheek,
My legs crack and I forget how to speak,
I stumble and stagger and try to hide,
This is what imagined on the day that I died.

(Song title from Skip James’ catalogue, by Skip James)

The saloon doors swing open,
And a cowboy staggers in,
He swaggers to the bar,
Orders drink after drink,
I stare amazed as I watch the drinks he sinks,
I’ve seen this John Wayne type before,
With Clint behind the eyes,
A need for speed,
To search, to be,
He lives his life on a drunken spree,
Praying it won’t catch up with him,
Like a torch wielding Indian storming his saloon,
Cowboy strong and runs the town,
Cowboy hurt,
Cowboy down.

(Song title from Lead Belly’s catalogue, by Ledbetter)

Poor black Betty is scared of walking alone,
The boys throw stones,
They use their words to break her bones,
Poor black Betty is still scared in twenty-ten,
Attacked again,
Surrounded by bad, racist men,
Poor black Betty is lowered into the ground,
No life, no sound,
Maybe now some peace can be found.

(Song title from Michael Jacksons’ catalogue, by Michael Jackson)

Looking in the mirror,
Reflected,
An image of hurt,
Sadness,
Blood and dirt,
Who is it?
My God…
…
…
…It’s me.

(Song title from Michael Jacksons’ catalogue, by Michael Jackson, T. Riley, Gil Cang, J. Quay and G. Williams)

When I die early,
Or get caught out,
When the walls collapse,
Or crush my soul,
Whatever happens,
Know I love you,
Whatever happens,
Know I’m sorry.

(Song title from Michael Jacksons’ catalogue, by Lippman and Dee)

Baby, I do love you,
I want you forever,
But you’re too young right now,
I’m too young somehow,
We both want fun,
We’ve just begun to grow.