Sweet Johanna - Levon Helm

Well I came up to the great big city

When I was only seventeen

Got me a job in a big skyscraper

Helping to keep the place clean

I tried to save all my money

To bring you here someday

The neon lights burned holes in my pockets

And the money just slipped away

Now my sweet Johanna

I’m hitchin' on back down to Louisiana

Back where I started

And I’m poorer than the day I went away

Oh, my sweet Johanna

I’m coming on home to Louisiana

Back where I started

'Cause you might want to live

In New York City anyway

I went on down to the bar on the corner

To have myself a beer

«Sweet young hoss, now what about these»

I heard it in my ear

I had not heard a friendly word

In seven months or more

So I had to defend my lady friend

When somebody called her a whore

Now now my sweet Johanna

I’m hitchin' a ride back to Louisiana

Back where I started

And I’m poorer than the day I went away

Now my sweet Johanna

I’m hitchin' a ride back to Louisiana

Just to tell you that

You might like to live

In New York City anyway

Well we all went out to the alley

But I woke up all alone

An empty wallet, an ache in my head

And no place to call home

Now my sweet Johanna

You know I’m hitchin' a ride back to Louisiana

Just to tell you that

And I’m poorer than the day I went away

Oh, my sweet Johanna

I’m coming on back home to Louisiana

Just to tell you that

You might want to live

In New York City anyway

Hitchin' on back to Louisiana

Back where I started

And I’m poorer than the day I went away

Oh, my sweet Johanna

I’m coming on back home to Louisiana

Just to tell you that

You might like to live

In New York City anyway