Well I met a man in Montgomery Alabama I was waitin' on a bus and he was shinin' shoes and I heard him say I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land A shoeshine man make you shine where you stand Leave me a tip if you can I'm a shoeshine man Well I can sing I can dance I can play the harmonica too I got a brand new thing on the South Side Montgomery Blues You better stick around and watch me cause I'm an entertainin' fool I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land... Well I learned my trade from that rag-poppin' daddy o'mine He shined twelve alligators made a hundred dollar bill one time And when the meat gets scarce I shine two or three pairs for a dime I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land... I had a girl that helped me she had a lotta hoochy coochy ways She was bumping and grinding paid that girl a dollar a day But she was shy on age and the law come and took her away I'm a shoeshine man number one in the land...