Roberta

Lyrics: Leadbelly
Music: Leadbelly

The Dead played this a couple of times in 1970, but no tapes circulate. The Leadbelly version goes like this:

Oh Roberta, where you been so long
Oh Roberta, where you been so long
I ain't had no loving since you've been gone

Oh Roberta, sit down on my knee
Oh Roberta, sit down on my knee
I got a lot to tell you that's been worrying me

Way up the river, far as I can see
Way up the river, far as I can see
I thought I spied my old time used to be

And it was not nothing, honey but the side of a tree

Well I'm down on the river, sitting on the ground
Well I'm down on the river, sitting on the ground
Gonna stay right here Lord, until Roberta come down

Roberta, Roberta, where you been so long
Roberta, Roberta, where you been so long
Cross country, with my [?long cold lawn]

Tell me Roberta, where you been so long
Tell me Roberta, where you been so long
I ain't had no loving since you've been gone

I see Roberta cross the sea
I see Roberta cross the sea
She didn't write me no letter, she didn't care for me

Tell me Roberta, what you gonna do
Tell me Roberta, what you gonna do
Just a little bit of loving let your heart be true

Roberta, Roberta, you on my mind
Roberta, Roberta, you on my mind
If you cry by the nickel you die by the dime

Roberta left yesterday and I'm going today
Roberta left yesterday and I'm going today
I'm getting tired of your low-down ways