I was born on a Louisiana road
Soon as I could walk, I had to carry a load
Papa left when I was just about four
Mama died, didn't want to live no more
Louisian', Louisian'
Lord have mercy
Mercy on a Louisiana man
I heard Blind Lemon singing in the street
I loved that sound and I loved that beat
Led that blind man by the hand
Deep Ellem, Texas, across the Texas borderland
I never will forget that fatal day
I ran into a man that kept calling me names
Lost my temper and I cut him down
The verdict was: guilty, I was sugarland bound
Louisian', Louisian'
Lord have mercy
Mercy on a Louisiana man
Some got six months, some got a year
Me and my buddy doing lifetime here
Hard, hard labor from morning 'til night
They work me like a mule on the black-ball-line
Wish a voodoo doctor down in New Orleans
Mix me a potion, lay a thing on me
Put a spell on my captain and break my chain
Walk out of here, a free man again
Louisian', Louisian'
Lord have mercy
Mercy on a Louisiana man
Let the midnight special shine it's light on me
Let the midnight special shine it's ever loving light on me