[Verse 1]
Old man down
Way down, down by the docks of the city
Blind and dirty
Asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee
I got no dime, but I got some time to hear his story

[Verse 2]
My name is August West
And I love my Pearly Baker best, more than my wine
More than my wine
More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine

[Verse 3]
Everyone said
I'd come to no good
I knew I would, Pearly, believed them
Half of my life
I spent doing time for some other fucker's crime
The other half found me
Stumbling around, drunk on burgundy wine

[Bridge]
But I'll get back on my feet someday
The good Lord willing, if He says I may
I know that the life I'm living's no good
I'll get a new start, live the life I should
I'll get up and fly away
I'll get up and fly away, fly away
[Verse 4]
Pearly's been true
True to me, true to my dying day, he said
I said to him
I said to him, I'm sure she's been
I said to him, I'm sure she's been true to you

[Instrumental Break]

[Verse 5]
I got up and wandered
Wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just to hang around
I've got a girl
Named Bonny Lee, I know that girl's been true to me
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me