Seen the arrow on the door post
Saying, This land is condemned
All the way
From New Orleans to Jerusalem
I traveled through East Texas
Where many martyrs fell
And I know one thing, nobody can sing
Them blues like blind Willie McTell
Well, I heard the hoot-owl singing
As they were taking down the tents
The stars above all the barren trees
Were his only audience
Yeah, them charcoal gypsy maidens
Can strut their feathers well
And I know one thing, nobody can sing
Them blues like blind Willie McTell
See them big plantations a-burning
Cant you hear the cracking of the whips?
Smell that sweet magnolia blossom blooming
See the ghosts of the slavery ships
Well, I can hear them tribes a-moanin
I can hear the undertakers bell
And I know one thing, nobody can sing
Them blues like blind Willie McTell
Theres a woman, shes standing by the river
She is with some fine young handsome man
See hes all dressed just like a squire
Hes got bootleg whiskey in his hand
Yeah, theres a chain-gang out on the highway
And I can hear them rebels yell
And I know one thing, nobody can sing
Them blues like blind Willie McTell
God, oh God is in Heaven
And we all want what is His
But the power and greed, the corruptible seed
Seems to be all that there is
Hey, hey, Im a-gazing out the window
Of the St. James Hotel
And I know one thing, nobody can sing
Them blues like blind Willie McTell
Hey, hey, I know one thing, nobody can sing
Them blues like blind Willie McTell