Gonna journey up the Hudson

Goin' on a lonesome trail

Gonna journey up the Hudson

Goin' on a lonesome trail

They can put me in the Death House

Or keep me in the Sing Sing Jail

I wrote and asked the warden

Why they called the jail the Sing Sing

I wrote and asked the warden

Why the called the jail the Sing Sing

He said "Stand here by this rock pile

And listen to them hammers ring"

He turns in the court house

Papers sellin' for fifty cents

He turns in the court house

Papers sellin' for fifty cents

All the judge tryin' to tell me

My lawyer's pleadin' self defense

The judge said “ Listen Bessie

Tell me why you killed your man ”

The judge said “ Listen Bessie

Tell me why you killed your man ”

I said “ Judge you ain ' t no woman

And you can ' t understand ”

You can send me up the river

Or send me to that mean old jail

You can send me up the river

Or send me to that mean old jail

I killed my man and I don ' t need no bail