Lyrics of 'Hesitation Blues' by Rev. Gary Davis

I woke up this morning just 'bout half past four
Hesitation blues was knocking on my door

Tell me, how long, do I baby, have to wait
Can I let you know? Why must I hesitate?

Ain't no use in me working so hard
I got me two good women
working in the rich folks' yard

I ain't your good man,
ain't your good man's son
But I can get in the place of your good man,
'til your good man comes

Well, I ain't no miller,
ain't no miller's son
But I can grind a little corn,
'til the miller comes

I ain't no wine presser,
ain't no wine presser's son
But I can buy you a little groceries,
'til the grocery man cames

I ain't no cradle rocker,
ain't no cradle rocker's son
But I can do a little rockin' for you,
'til the rocker man comes

Well, I ain't no doctor,
ain't no doctor's son
But I can cure a few cases,
'til the doctor comes

Eagle on the dollar say, "In God We Trust"
Woman flashy, wants a man but I declare
she want a dollar first

I ain't no bookkeeper,
ain't no bookkeeper's son
But I can keep a few books,
'til the bookkeeper comes

I ain't no milkman,
ain't no milkman's son
But I can keep you supplied,
'til your milkman comes

I ain't no chauffeur,
ain't no chauffeur's son
But I can do a little driving,
'til your chauffeur comes

Well, I ain't no back-breaker,
ain't no back-breaker's son
But I can stretch out my back,
'til your back-breaker comes

I ain't got no woman and I ain't got no kid
Ain't got no daughter to be bothered with

I ain't no rent payer,
ain't no rent payer's son
But I can scrape up a few rents,
'til the rent payer comes

Well, I ain't been to heaven but I've been told
St. Peter learnt the angels how to do the Jelly Roll

Me and my buddy and two or three more
We get good women everywhere we go

Well, I hitched up the mule
and the mule wouldn't pull
Took the hunches off the mule
and put the hunches on the bull

Blacker the berry the sweeter the juice
I'd be a fool if I quit the woman I got
because it ain't no use

I got hesitating stockings,
hesitating shoes
I got a hesitating woman
singing me the hesitating blues

My good gal quit me,
I ain't going to wear no black
I always got something to make her
come running back

Men in the country hollering, "Whoa, haw, gee!"
Women in the city flying around
asking the question, "Who wants me?"

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Just show me a woman that a man can trust

You know, my mother told me
when I was just six years old
I'm going to be a good women getter,
God bless your soul