[Verse 1]
Old man down
Way down 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
Everyone said, I'd come to no good, I knew I would, Pearly, believe 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

[Refrain]
I'll get up and fly away
I'll get up and fly away, fly away

[Verse 3]
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 4]
Got up and wandered, I wandered downtown, nowhere to go but just hang around
I've got a girl, named Bonnie Lee, I know that girl's been true to me
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me