Boll Weevil

Lyrics Information

[performed lyrics]

you can talk about the latest
the latest of your own
these boll weevils
they will rob you of a home
they are looking for a home
they are looking for a home
the first time I seen a boll weevil
he was sitting on the square
the next time I seen a boll weevil
he had his whole family there
they are looking for a home
they were looking for a home
they are looking for a home
they are looking for a home
they are looking for a home
they was looking for a home
the farmer he took the boll weevil
put him on the ice
the boll weevil says to the farmer
you treat me mighty nice
and I will have a home
I will have a home
the old man said to the old lady
what do you think of that
these boll weevils got into my brand new stetson hat
and it's full of holes
yeah it's full of holes
alright, yeah it's full of holes
well it's full of holes
yeah it's full of holes
well it's full of holes
alright now this next verse is about myself
and when I'm done I hope you'll sing along with me on
"he's looking for a home"
I said if anybody asks you people
who sang you this song
you tell 'em it's jackie white
he's done been here and gone
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home
he's looking for a home


[Leadbelly original lyrics]

You can talk about the latest,/The latest of your home,
These boll weevils,/They will rob you of a home,
They're a-looking for a home,/They're a-looking for a home.
One time I seen a boll weevil,/He was sitting on a square,
Next time I seen the boll weevil,/He had his whole family there,
He was looking for a home,/He was looking for a home.
The farmer take the boll weevil,/Put him in the sand,
Boll weevil said to the farmer,/"You treat me just like a man.
And I'll have a home, and I will have a home."
I will have a home, I will have a home. (2x)
The farmer take the boll weevil,/Put him on the ice,
The boll weevil said to the farmer,/"You is treating me mighty nice.
And I will have a home, and I will have a home."
The old lady said to the old man,/"I been trying my level best,
Keep these boll weevils/Out of my brand new cotton dress-
It's full of holes, and it's full of holes."
The old man said to the old lady,/"What do you think of that?
I got one of them boll weevils out of my brand new Stetson hat-
And it's full of holes, and it's full of holes
It is full of holes, it is full of holes.
It is full of holes, it is full of holes.
Now the farmer, he said to the merchant,/"I never made but one bale,
Before I'll let you have that last one,/I will suffer and die in jail,
I will have a home, I will have a home."
If anyone should ask you children, who made up this song?/Tell em this is Huddie Ledbetter,
He's done been here and gone,/He's looking for a home, he's looking for a home.
He's looking for a home, he's looking for a home. (2X)

Performed by The White Stripes
Written by Leadbelly and/or Eddie Cochran

Performed

various

Quotes

John Peel:

    "So we were talking about one of the great concerts of my life, when I saw Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent play at the Liverpool Empire, four days before Eddie Cochran was killed in a car crash. When the White Stripes played that night, they ended their set with an Eddie Cochran song and a Gene Vincent song. And I thought, what a nice thing to do, but also incredibly cool. A British band couldn't do that -- they don't have that kind of flexibility."
Notes