ramblin' blues

i've seen the lights of old broadway

and market street down by the frisco bay

i've strolled the prado

i've gambled on the bourse in gay paree

now the seven wonders of this world i've seen

there's many other different places i have been

take my advice folks please see beale street first

it's in memphis

tennessee

oh

you'll see pretty browns in beautiful gowns

you'll see tailor mades and your hand me downs

you'll meet honest men and pick pockets skilled

and your business never closes 'til somebody gets killed

oh

those hog-nose restaurants and chitlin' cafes

talk about your whiskey and your bygone days

and places once places but now just a sham

you'll see golden balls enough to pave the new jerusalem

if beale street could talk

if beale street could talk

married men would have to take their beds up and walk

all except one or two who never drink booze

and the blind man on the corner who sings 'the memphis blues'

i'd rather be here than any place i know

oh

i'd rather be here than any place i know

it's gonna take a sergeant for to make me go

i'm goin' down to the river

baby by and by

oh i'm goin' down to the river mississippi

and here's the reason why 'cause that river's wet

and beale street's done gone dry

bone dry

if beale street could talk

if beale street could talk

married men would have to take their beds up and walk

all except one or two who never drink booze

and the blind man on the corner who sings 'the memphis blues'

i'd rather be here than any place i know