Gal’s Cry for a Dying Lover + 

Heard de owl a hootin’, + 

Knowed somebody’s ’bout to die. + 

Heard de owl a hootin’, + 

Knowed somebody’s ’bout to die. + 

Put ma head un’neath de kiver, + 

Started in to moan an’ cry. + 

Hound dawg’s barkin’ + 

Means he’s gonna leave this world. + 

Hound dawg’s barkin’ + 

Means he’s gonna leave this world. + 

O, Lawd have mercy + 

On a po’ black girl. + 

Black an’ ugly + 

But he sho do treat me kind. + 

I’m black an’ ugly + 

But he sho do treat me kind. + 

High-in-heaben Jesus, + 

Please don’t take this man o’ mine. + 