Blind Willie McTell Songtext

Seen the arrow on a door post Saying this land is condemned All the way from New Orleans to Jerusalem I travelled to East Texas Where many martyrs fell And I know no one can sing the blues Like Blind Willie McTell. Well I heard that Hoot Owl singing As they were talking down the tent The stars above the barren trees Was his only audience Them charcoal gypsy maidens Can strut their feathers well But nobody can sing the blues Like Blind Willie McTell. Seen them big plantations burning Hear the cracking of the whip Smell that sweet magnolia bloomin' See the ghost of slavery ships I can hear them tribes a'moanin Hear the undertakers bell Nobody can sing the blues Like Blind Willie McTell. There's a woman by the river With some fine young handsome man He's dressed up like a squire Bootleg whiskey in his hand There's a chain gang on the highway I can hear them rebels yell But I know no one can sing the blues Like Blind Willie McTell. Well, God in his heaven And we all want what's his But power and greed and corruptible seed Seem to be all that there is I'm gazing out the window Of the St. James Hotel But I know no one can sing the blues Like Blind Willie McTell.