Cornet Man

Well, I just put the kids to sleep
And swept the shack
Took my sweet man's satchel down
And watched him pack

I said, "Darlin', while the stove still smolders
Unpin your woman's hair and rub her shoulders"
I threw myself across the doorway
Beggin', "Stay, sweet man, stay"

But there's more in my man's life
Than this old hag
It's jelly roll Morton and a shiny cornet
And jazzin' the rag

The lady ain't been born
Can take the place of a horn
With a cornet man
A-goin' where there's blowin'

Trav'lin' cornet man
Just anytime they call him
He'll leave his wife and kiddies
Sittin' with their tongues out

To play for peanuts in a dive
And blow his lungs out
He'll hop a choo-choo on a moment's notice

To play some dates with Billy Bates

Or rag-time otis
The lady ain't see light
Can give a horn a fair fight
With a cornet man

A rootin', shootin', ever-tootin' dapper dan
Who carries in his satchel
A powder-blue norfolk suit
A silver-plated wah-wah mute

There is whiskey, gamblin', each one is a curse
But I'm up against a devil that's worse
Yes, a horn is my thorn
My trav'lin' cornet man

Kill yourself
tell me about it! yeah, yeah

A powder-blue norfolk suit
I said a silver-plated wah-wah mute
Oh he's shy on height
He's short on weight

But he's the only man
Can make my coffee peculate
A dapper dan
My cornet-playin' man