Old man down

Way down, down by the docks of the city

Blind and dirty

Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee

I got no dime, but I got some time to hear his story

My name is August West

And I love my Pearly Baker best, more than my wine

More than my wine

More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine

Everyone said

I'd come to no good

I knew I would

Pearly, believed them

Half of my life

Spent doing time for some other fucker's crime

The other half found me

Stumbling around, drunk on burgundy wine

But I'll get back on my feet someday

The good lord willing, if he says I may

I know that the life I'm living's no good

I'll get a new start, live the life I should

I'll get up and fly away

I'll get up and fly away

Pearly's been true

True to me, true to my dying day, he said

I said to him

I said to him, I'm sure she's been

I said to him, I'm sure she's been true to you

I got up and wandered

Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just to hang around

I've got a girl

Named Bonny Lee, I know that girl's been true to me

I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me