Why don't you go down old Hannah, well, well, well,
Don't you rise no more, don't you rise no more
Why don't you go down old Hannah, Hannah,
Don't you rise no more.
If you rise in the morning, well, well, well,
Bring judgement sure, [2x]
If you rise in the morning, morning,
Bring judgement sure.
Well, I looked at old Hannah, well, well, well,
She was turning red, [2x]
Then I looked at my partner, partner
He was almost dead
You should-a been on this old Brazos
Back in nineteen and fo' [2x]
You could find a dead man
Layin' across your row
Why don't you wake up old dead man,
Help me carry my row, [2x]
You should-a been on this old river,
Nineteen and ten.
You could find them workin' the women
And killin' the men
My mother called me
And I answered, Ma'am
She said ain't you tired of rolling
Rolling for that old sun-down man?
Then my father he called me
And I answered, Sir
He said if you're tired of rolling
What do you stay here for
Then my sister she called me
And I answered, hey
She said ain't you tired of rolling
Why don't you run away
Then my brother he called me
And I answered huh
He said if you're tired of rolling
You know you got too long
I got a letter from the Governor
What do you think he said
He said he'd give me a pardon
If I didn't drop dead.