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

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

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

"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"

Got up and wandered, 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
[Instrumental]