Well, I just put the kids to sleep

And swept the shack

Took my sweet mans 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 mans life

Than this old hag

Its 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' Travelin' cornet man

Just anytime they call him

Hell leave his wife and kiddies

Sittin' with their tongues out To play for peanuts in a dive

And blow his lungs out

Hell hop a choo-choo on a moments 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 travelin' 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!