Up on Cripple Creek lyrics

When I get off of this mountain

you know where I want to go,

straight down the Mississippi River

to the Gulf of Mexico.

To Lake George, Louisiana,

little Bessie, girl that I once knew

and she told me just to come on by

if there's anything she could do.

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me,

if I spring a leak, she mends me,

I don't have to speak, she defends me,

a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one.

Good luck had just stung me

to the race track I did go.

She bet on one horse to win

and I bet on another to show.

Odds were in my favor

I had him five to one

when that nag came around the track,

sure enough we had won.

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me,

if I spring a leak, she mends me.

I don't have to speak, she defends me,

a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one.

I took up all of my winnings

and I gave my little Bessie half

and she tore it up and blew it in my face,

just for a laugh.

Now there's one thing in the whole wide world

I sure would like to see

that's when that little love of mine

dips her doughnut in my tea.

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me,

if I spring a leak, she mends me.

I don't have to speak, she defends me,

a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one.

Now me and my mate were back at the shack,

we had Spike Jones on the box.

She said, "I can't take the way he sings

but I love to hear him talk".

Now that just gave my heart a fall

to the bottom of my feet

and I swore and I took another pull,

my Bessie can't be beat.

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me,

if I spring a leak, she mends me.

I don't have to speak, she defends me,

a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one.

As a flood out in California

and up north it's freezing cold

and this living off the road

is getting pretty old

so I guess I'll call up my big mama

tell her I'll be rolling in

but you know, deep down, I'm kinda tempted

to go and see my sweet Bessie again.

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me,

if I spring a leak, she mends me.

I don't have to speak, she defends me,

a drunkard's dream if I ever did see one.

• Artist:The Band
• Album:The Band (1970)