I WAS STAN DING

ON THIS SIDE WALK

IN 1 9 4 5

IN JAC KSON VILLE

IL LI NOIS

WHEN ASKED

WHAT MY NAME WAS

THERE CAME NO RE PLY

THEY SAID I WAS A

DEAF AND SIGHT LESS

HALF- WIT BOY

BUT LE WIS WAS MY NAME

THOUGH I COULD NOT

SAY IT

I WAS BORN AND RAISED

IN NEW OR LEANS

MY SPI RIT WAS WILD

SO I LET THE RI VER

TAKE IT

ON A BARGE

AND A PRAYER UP STREAM

WELL THEY SEARCHED

FOR A MO THER

AND THEY SEARCHED

FOR A FA THER

AND THEY SEARCHED

TILL THEY SEARCHED

NO MORE

THE DOC TORS

PUT TO REST

THEIR SCI EN TI FIC TESTS

AND THEY NAMED ME

JOHN DOE NO. 2 4

AND THEY ALL

SHOOK THEIR HEADS

IN PI TY

FOR A WORLD

SO SI LENT AND DARK

WELL THERE'S NO DOUBT

THAT LIFE'S A MYS TERY

BUT SO TOO

IS THE HU MAN HEART

AND IT WAS MY HEART'S

OWN PER FUME

WHEN THE

CRAPE JAS MINE

BLOOMED

ON ST. CHARLES A VE NUE

THOUGH I COULD N'T

HEAR THE BELLS

OF THE STREET CARS

CO MIN'

BY TOE ING THE TRACK

I KNEW

AND IF I WERE AN

OLD MAN RE TUR NING

WITH MY SAT CHEL

AND PORK PIE HAT

I'D HIT EVE RY JAZZ JOINT

ON BOUR BON

AND I'D HIT EVE RY ONE

ON BA SIN AF TER THAT

THE YEARS KEPT PAS SING

AS THEY

PASSED ME A ROUND

FROM ONE STATE WARD

TO A NO THER

LIKE I WAS AN

OR PHANED SHOE

FROM THE LOST

AND FOUND

AL WAYS MIS SING

THE OT HER

AND THEY GAVE ME

A HARP

LAST CHRIST MAS

AND ALL THE NUR SES

TOOK A DANCE

WELL LATE LY I'VE BEEN

GRO WIN' LIST LESS

I'VE BEEN

DREA MIN' A GAIN

OF THE PAST

I'M WAN DE RING DOWN

TO THE BANKS

OF THE GREAT BIG MUD DY

WHERE THE

SHOT GUN HOU SES STAND

I AM SE VEN YEARS OLD

AND I FEEL MY DAD DY

REACH OUT FOR MY HAND

WHILE I DREW BREATH

NO ONE MISSED ME

SO THEY WON'T

ON THE DAY THAT I CEASE

PUT A SPRIG OF

CRAPE JAS MINE WITH ME

TO RE MIND ME OF

NEW OR LEANS

I WAS STAN DING

ON THIS SIDE WALK

IN 1 9 4 5

IN JAC KSON VILLE

IL LI NOIS