Featured In
Top Songs By The Band
Credits
PERFORMING ARTISTS
Rick Danko
Bass
Levon Helm
Drums
Garth Hudson
Organ
Richard Manuel
Piano
Robbie Robertson
Electric Guitar
COMPOSITION & LYRICS
Robbie Robertson
Songwriter
PRODUCTION & ENGINEERING
The Band
Producer
Joe Zagarino
Mixing Engineer
Tony May
Mixing Engineer
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
When I get off of this mountain, you know where I wanna go
Straight down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico
To Lake Charles, Louisiana, little Bessie, girl I once knew
And she told me just to come on by if there's anything that she could do
[Chorus]
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, a-she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
[Verse 2]
Good luck had just stung me, to the race track I did go
She bet on one horse to win and I bet on another to show
The odds were in my favor, I had 'em five to one
When that nag to win came around the track, sure enough, we had won
[Chorus]
Up on Cripple Creek, a-she sends me
If I spring a leak, a-she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
[Verse 3]
I took up all of my winnings and I gave my little Bessie half
And she tore it up and threw it in my face, a-just for a laugh
Now there's one thing in the whole wide world I sure would like to see
That's when that little love of mine dips her donut in my tea
[Verse 4]
Hee hee
[Chorus]
Up on Cripple Creek, a-she sends me
If I spring a leak, a-she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
[Verse 5]
Now me and my mate were back at the shack, we had Spike Jones on the box
She said, "I can't take the way he sings, but I love to hear him talk"
Now that just gave my heart a throb to the bottom of my feet
And I swore as I took another pour, my Bessie can't be beat
[Chorus]
Up on Cripple Creek, a-she sends me
If I spring a leak, a-she mends me
I don't have to speak, a-she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
[Verse 6]
There's a flood out in California, and up north, it's freezing cold
And this living off the road is getting pretty old
So I guess I'll call up my big mama, tell her I'll be rolling in
But you know deep down, I'm kinda tempted to go and see my Bessie again
[Chorus]
Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me
If I spring a leak, she mends me
I don't have to speak, she defends me
A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one
Written by: Robbie Robertson