Spider John is my name friends.
I'm in between freights and I sure would be obliged
If I could share your company.
I'm on my way to nowhere,
Been running from my past;
Running from the things I used to be.
Now, I know my words sound strange to you,
But, if you wait 'til the song is sung and the story's told
You might come to understand.
Why I'm old and bent and devil sent,
Runnin' out of time;
When I long ago held a royal flush in my hand.
Chorus:
Oh, I was a supermarket fool.
I was a motorbank stool pigeon,
Robbing my hometown.
Thought I'd lost my blues,
Yes, I thought I'd paid my dues.
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.
And ol' Spider John,
The robber man,
Long, tall and handsome.
Yes, ol' Spider John with a loaded hand,
Taking ransom.
Then one day I met Diamond Lil.
She was the sweetest thing, I declare,
That the summer wind had ever blown my way.
But Lil, she had no idea my illustrious occupation.
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray.
Spider, he loved his Lily so much
He could not confess his sins,
For he knew if he did, the lady would surely take her leave.
But you know that the word got around and Lily left town
And he never saw her again.
Tossin' and turnin', causin' his heart to grieve.
Chorus:
Oh, I was a supermarket fool.
I was a motorbank stool pigeon,
Robbing my hometown.
I thought I'd lost my blues,
Yes, I thought I'd paid my dues.
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.
And ol' Spider John,
The robber man,
Long, tall and handsome.
Yes, ol' Spider John with a loaded hand,
Taking ransom.
That is all my story.
Been these thirty years since I took to the road
To find my precious jeweled one.
If you see my Lily, won't you give her my regards.
Tell her ol' Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun.
You can tell her that Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun.
I'm in between freights and I sure would be obliged
If I could share your company.
I'm on my way to nowhere,
Been running from my past;
Running from the things I used to be.
Now, I know my words sound strange to you,
But, if you wait 'til the song is sung and the story's told
You might come to understand.
Why I'm old and bent and devil sent,
Runnin' out of time;
When I long ago held a royal flush in my hand.
Chorus:
Oh, I was a supermarket fool.
I was a motorbank stool pigeon,
Robbing my hometown.
Thought I'd lost my blues,
Yes, I thought I'd paid my dues.
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.
And ol' Spider John,
The robber man,
Long, tall and handsome.
Yes, ol' Spider John with a loaded hand,
Taking ransom.
Then one day I met Diamond Lil.
She was the sweetest thing, I declare,
That the summer wind had ever blown my way.
But Lil, she had no idea my illustrious occupation.
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray.
Spider, he loved his Lily so much
He could not confess his sins,
For he knew if he did, the lady would surely take her leave.
But you know that the word got around and Lily left town
And he never saw her again.
Tossin' and turnin', causin' his heart to grieve.
Chorus:
Oh, I was a supermarket fool.
I was a motorbank stool pigeon,
Robbing my hometown.
I thought I'd lost my blues,
Yes, I thought I'd paid my dues.
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style.
And ol' Spider John,
The robber man,
Long, tall and handsome.
Yes, ol' Spider John with a loaded hand,
Taking ransom.
That is all my story.
Been these thirty years since I took to the road
To find my precious jeweled one.
If you see my Lily, won't you give her my regards.
Tell her ol' Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun.
You can tell her that Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun.