Well, I just put the kids to sleep
And swept the shack
Took my sweet mans satchel down
And watched him packI said, "Darlin, while the stove still smolders
Unpin your womans hair and rub her shoulders"
I threw myself across the doorway
Beggin, "Stay, sweet man, stay"But theres more in my mans life
Than this old hag
Its jelly roll Morton and a shiny cornet
And jazzin the ragThe lady aint been born
Can take the place of a horn
With a cornet man
A-goin where theres blowinTravlin cornet man
Just anytime they call him
Hell leave his wife and kiddies
Sittin with their tongues outTo play for peanuts in a dive
And blow his lungs out
Hell hop a choo-choo on a moments notice
To play some dates with Billy BatesOr rag-time otis
The lady aint see light
Can give a horn a fair fight
With a cornet manA rootin, shootin, ever-tootin dapper dan
Who carries in his satchel
A powder-blue norfolk suit
A silver-plated wah-wah muteThere is whiskey, gamblin, each one is a curse
But Im up against a devil thats worse
Yes, a horn is my thorn
My travlin cornet manKill yourself
tell me about it! yeah, yeahA powder-blue norfolk suit
I said a silver-plated wah-wah mute
Oh hes shy on height
Hes short on weightBut hes the only man
Can make my coffee peculate
A dapper dan
My cornet-playin man