Lead Belly
Governor O.K. Allen (aka Angola Blues)
In nineteen hundred and thirty two
Honorable Governor O.K. Allen, I'm pleading to you
I left my wife wringing her hands and crying
"Honorable Governor O.K. Allen, save that man of mine."
And the Honorable Manager Himes looked over the pen
Told Governor O.K. Allen, "We've got too many men."
Governor O.K. Allen began to turn about
"We've gotta make some arrangements to turn some of them out."
Then Honorable Manager Himes says to Honorable Warden Long
"We done made some arrangements to let the men go home."
When I looked in the paper, then I was surprised
When I saw the number three hundred and twenty five
I know my wife's gonna jump and shout
When the train rolls up and I come stepping out
Honorable Governor O.K. Allen, remember him the rest of my life
He studied up a plan to send so many men to their wives
When you write you a letter, please don't forget
The Lieutenant Governor Honorable Mr. Fournet
Had you Governor O.K. Allen, like you got me
I would wake up in the morning, let you out on reprieve