Goin' 'round the mountain, charming Betsy
Sayin' I'm goin' 'round the mountain, Perlee
Now, if I never see you again
Do, Lord, remember me
Well, it's somethin' 'bout these Memphis women
I can't understand
For these old ladies wear these short dresses around
Tryin' to fool a working man
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, charming Betsy
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, Perlee
Now, if I never see you again
Do, Lord remember me
Well, yella girl got this long straight hair
A brownskin girl got the same
But a black gal buys her'n at the ten cent store
But it's good hair, just the same
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, charming Betsy
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, Perlee
Now, if I never see you again
Do, Lord remember me
Well, a yella gal smells like sweet toilet soap
Brownskin does the same
But a black girl smell like a billy goat
But she's smellin', just the same
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, charming Betsy
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, Perlee
Now, if I never see you again
Do, Lord remember me
Well, a white man give his wife a ten dollar bill
He thinks that's nothing strange
But a colored man give his wife a one dollar bill
And beat her to d**h 'bout the ninety cents change
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, charming Betsy
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, Perlee
Now, if I never see you again
Do, Lord remember me
Well, a white man lives in a fine brick house
He thinks that's nothing strange
But a poor colored man lives in the county jail
But it's a brick house, just the same
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, charming Betsy
Sayin', I'm goin' 'round the mountain, Perlee
Now, if I never see you again
Do, Lord remember me