Cornet Man

Cornet Man
Well,
I just put the kids to sleep
And swept the shack,
Took my sweet man's satchel down
And watched him pack,
I said, "Darlin', while the stove still smolders,
Unpin your woman's hair and rub her shoulders."
I threw myself across the doorway
Beggin', "Stay, sweet man, stay"
But there's more in my man's life
Than this old hag.

It's Jelly Roll Morton,
And a shiny cornet,
And jazzin' the rag!
The lady ain't been born
Can take the place of a horn,
With a cornet man.
A-goin' where there's blowin',
Trav'lin' cornet man.
Just anytime they call him
He'll leave his wife and kiddies
Sittin' with their tongues out
To play for peanuts in a dive
And blow his lungs out.
He'll hop a choo-choo on a moment's notice
To play some dates with Billy Bates
Or Rag-time Otis!
The lady ain't seen light
Can give a horn a fair fight
With a cornet man
A rootin', tootin', ever-shootin' Dapper Dan
Who carries in his satchel
A powder-blue Norfolk suit,
A silver-plated wah-wah mute,
There's whiskey, gamblin'--each one is a curse,
But I'm up against a devil that's worse.
Yes, a horn is my thorn,
My trav'lin' cornet man!
A powder-blue Norfolk suit,
And a silver-plated wah-wah mute,
Well, he's shy on height,
He's short on weight,
But he's the only man
Can make my coffee percolate,
A Dapper Dan,
My cornet-playin' man.