Lost John settin' on the railroad track
Waitin' for the freight train to come back
The freight train come back and didn't make no stop
Lost John thought he had to ride the top
Along come a Dixie Flyer, just behind time
He missed the cow-catcher and he caught the blind
Now he's long, long gone
Lost John came by a country woman's house
He crept just as quiet, quiet as a mouse
She said to Mr. Lost John, "Be my friend
Be my friend, compel thee in
Now, Mr. Lost John, have no fear
I'll send for the porter and I'll buy us some beer"
"Never mind, woman, don't you buy no beer
The hounds is on my trail and I can't stay here"
John jumped up, run to the top of the hill, says
"The hounds ain't caught me, and they never will
Now I'm long, long gone"
Now the funniest thing I ever have seen
Lost John comin' through the Bowldin' Green
Stone bare-footed, no shoes on his feet
Beggin' everybody for their bread and meat
Now he's-a long, long gone
Lost John made a pair of shoes of his own
Just the goodest shoes that was ever were worn
Had heels in the front, and heels behind
You couldn't tell which-a-way Lost John's gwine
Now he's long, long gone
He was standing on the corner, talkin' to his brown
He doubled up his fist and knocked the police down
The police jumped up, said, "Which-a-way did he go?"
The last time I seen 'im, he was runnin' the Gulf of Mexico
Now he's long, long gone
They took old Lost John, they put him in the pen
Now the son-of-a-gun he's out, and he's gone again
Now he's-a long, long gone
Now, if anybody should ask you who composed this song
Tell 'em Papa Charlie Jackson and Ida Long
Now we long, we long gone
"Spoken": That's all