I ain't played for nobody in years
I wanted me some kids, a whole mess of them.
But for Rose, my wife, kids is for another time.

Then one spring,
I seened a change in her
Her [bad word] started swelling up
Couple of mornings, hear her in the bathroom throwing up
I done seen it in other women before,
so I knew.

Rose said she had to go to Jackson,
visit her folks,
and she ain't wanted me to go,
so I stayed here.

You know how they talk about a woman having that glow?
She didn't have it no more.
She done cut it out.
Got rid of it.

That voice in my head,
every time I think it's gone, [bad word] howling back.

Calls me when I'm ailing,
when I can't find my way home.
Lost in the pines
I calls it the Black Snake Moan.

Black snake all in my room
Black snake all in my room
Some pretty mamma
Better get this black snake soon

Black snake is evil
Black snake is all I see

Woke up this morning
Black snake moved in on me.