When Lilly Was Queen

Lilly Pearl, standing by the wood stove

Cooking up a pot of fatback and beans

Aprons made out of Martha White flour sack

Them was the days when Lilly was queen

There's gonna be a family reunion

Down around Little River Park

Lilly got a brand-new baby, they say

Jesse Brown had to up and run away

It might as well rain 'cause nobody came

Jesse left so fast, the baby got no name

Lilly Pearl, what'cha gonna name your baby? (baby, baby)

Lilly Pearl, what'cha gonna name your child?

Lilly Pearl, they say he run away and left you crazy (crazy, crazy)

But, ooh, your man had a pretty smile

Lilly Pearl told most folks

She could raise her baby fine without a man

But she cried at the table to her kin folk

Her people cried with her, but did they understand?

Lilly Pearl, still standing by the wood stove

Talking to a pot of fatback and beans

20 years later, still cooking a spread

But there's no reunion, 'cause the family's most dead

They took her baby at the age of 13

Left her living in the days when Lilly was queen

Lilly Pearl, did you ever name your baby? (baby, baby, baby)

Lilly Pearl, do you ever miss your child?

Lilly Pearl, his daddy run away and left you crazy (crazy, crazy, good)

But ooh, your man had a pretty smile (get out of here, and get on up)

Lilly Pearl, you're never gonna know your baby (baby, baby, yeah)

Lilly Pearl, they never let you see your child

Lilly Pearl, his daddy run away and left you crazy, crazy, crazy...