Doc Watson
Lost John [Live In New York / 1970]
[Intro]
There's a lot of different kinds of blues tunes
And some of 'em aren't really blues at all
They just have a sort of a blues flavor
An old tune that I've always liked ever since the first time I heard it
And I guess there's a jillion versions of this if you can hunt 'em all up
Uh, in American folk music
A tune called "Lost John"
John liked to hobo the trains, that was the way he got around
And so it's, uh, sort of a train-flavored tune, too

[Verse 1]
Lost Johnny walkin' along in the rain
Around the curb come a faster train
John made a grab but he never got aboard
It left him a-sittin' on the old railroad
He's long gone, long gone, long gone, lost John

[Verse 2]
No hat on his head, no shoes on his feet
He's a-beggin' to women for his bread and a need
A woman once said, "Now, looky here, John
I'll take my broom and gonna hurry along"
Long gone, he's long gone, long gone, lost John

[Verse 3]
Had an old dog, his name was Will
He runnin' lost John to the top of the hill
He's long gone, long gone, long gone, lost John