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Ballad Of Spider John Lyrics by Willis Alan Ramsey

Willis Alan Ramsey

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Spider John is my name, friends
I'm in between freights and I sure would be obliged
If I could share your company
I'm on my way to nowhere
I've been running from my past
Running from the things I used to be
Now, I know my words sound strange to you
But if you wait till the song is sung and the story's told
You might come to understand
Why I'm old and bent and devil-spent and running out of time
When not long ago held a royal flush in my hand
Oh, I was a supermarket fool, I was a roll-the-bank, a
Stool pigeon
Robbing my hometown
I thought I'd lost the blues, yes, I thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style
And I was Spider John
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, I was Spider John with the loaded hand
Taking ransom
Then one day I met Diamond Lil
She was the sweetest thing, I declare
That the summer wind had ever blown my way
Lil, she had no idea of my illustrious occupation
She thought I was a saint, not a sinner gone astray
Spider, he loved his lady so much
He could not confess his sins, for he knew if he did
The lady would surely take her leave
But you know that the word got around and Lily left town
And he never saw her again
Tossing and turning, causing his heart to grieve
Oh, I was a super market fool, I was roll-the-bank, stool pigeon
Robbing my hometown
I thought I'd lost my blues, thought I'd paid my dues
I thought I'd found the life to suit my style
And I was Spider John
The robber man
Long, tall and handsome
Yes, I was Spider John with the loaded hand
Taking ransom
That is all my story
It's been these thirty years since I took to the road
To find my precious jewel one
If you see my Lily, won't you give her my regards
Tell her old Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun
You can tell her that old Spider got tangled
In the black web that he spun
Credits
Willis Alan Ramsey

Willis Alan Ramsey

About “Ballad Of Spider John” by Willis Alan Ramsey

Read the complete lyrics to "Ballad Of Spider John" by Willis Alan Ramsey from the album "Willis Alan Ramsey". On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Ballad Of Spider John" is performed by Willis Alan Ramsey. from the album "Willis Alan Ramsey" This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Ballad Of Spider John", explore more songs by Willis Alan Ramsey using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Ballad Of Spider John" is credited to Willis Alan Ramsey. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Ballad Of Spider John" appears on "Willis Alan Ramsey".

Visit the Willis Alan Ramsey artist page at /artist/willis-alan-ramsey for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.