[Verse 1]
Old man down
Way down, down by the docks of the city
Blind and dirty
He asked me for a dime, a dime for a cup of coffee
I got no dime but got some time to hear his story
My name is August West
And I love my Pearly Baker better than all my wine
More than my wine
More than my maker, though he's no friend of mine
Half of my life
I spent doin' time for some other fucker's crime
The other half I spent stumbling 'round drunk on Burgundy wine

[Bridge]
Got to get back on my feet someday
Good Lord willin', 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
I'll get up and fly away, fly away

[Verse 2]
I got up and wandered
I wandered downtown, nowhere to go, just to 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
I know she's been, I'm sure she's been true to me
[Instrumental Break]

[Outro]
Pearly's been true
He said "True to me, true to my dying day"
I said, "I'm sure she's been true"