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The Ballad of Spider John

from Covers EP by Cat Meat

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Listen to the original track by Willis Alan Ramsey here....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=1umpe-u86rk

lyrics

Spider John is my name friends
I'm in between freights, and I sure would be obliged
If I could share your company.

I'm on my way to nowhere,
I been runnin' from my past.
Runnin' from the things I used to be.

Now I know my words sound strange to you
But if you'll wait till my song is sung and my story's told
You might come to understand
How I'm old and bent and devil sent
And runnin' out of time
When not long ago I held a royal flush in my hand.

I was a super market fool, I was a motorbank stool pigeon,
Robbing my hometown
I thought I'd lost the blues, yes, I thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style

But ol' Spider John
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, ol' Spider John with the loaded hand
Taking ransom

Then one day I met Diamond Lil
She was the sweetest thing, I declare,
That the summer breeze ever blown my way
But Lily she had no idea of my illustrious occupation
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray
Spider he loved his lady so much
But would not confess his sins
For he knew if he did the lady would surely take her leave
But you know that word got around and Lily left town
And he never saw her again
Tossin' and turnin', causin' his heart to grieve

I was a super market fool, I was a motorbank stool pigeon,
Robbing my hometown
I thought I'd lost the blues, yes, I thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style

But ol' Spider John
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, ol' Spider John with the loaded hand
Taking ransom

That is all my story
It's been these thirty years since I took to the road
Find my precious jewel one
If you see my Lily, won't you give her my regards
Tell her ol' Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun

You can tell her that ol' Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun

credits

from Covers EP, released December 22, 2014

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Cat Meat UK

Cat Meat Are:
Phil Rogers (Guitar and Vocals)
Ian Olney (Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Bass, Electronics)
Louisa Wood (Violin, Piano, Backing Vocals)
Barney Bodoano (Guitar, Harmonica, Bass, Drums, Backing Vocals)

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