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Delia Lyrics

Delia was a gambling girl, gambled all around,
Delia was a gambling girl, she laid her money down.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia's dear ol' mother took a trip out West,
When she returned, little Delia gone to rest.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia's daddy weeped, Delia's momma moaned,
Wouldn't have been so bad if the poor girl died at home.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis' looking high, Curtis' looking low,
He shot poor Delia down with a cruel forty-four.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

High up on the housetops, high as I can see,
Looking for them rounders, looking out for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Men in Atlanta, tryin' to pass for white,
Delia's in the graveyard, boys, six feet out of sight.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Judge says to Curtis, "What's this noise about?"
"All about them rounders, Judge, tryin' to cut me out."
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis said to the judge, "What might be my fine?"
Judge says, "Poor boy, you got ninety-nine."
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Curtis' in the jail house, drinking from an old tin cup,
Delia's in the graveyard, she ain't gettin' up.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You loved all them rounders, never did love me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.

Delia, oh Delia, how can it be?
You wanted all them rounders, never had time for me.
All the friends I ever had are gone.
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3 Meanings

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Cover art for Delia lyrics by Bob Dylan

This is a good song that if you have listend to it ? , this was on the world gone wrong album. But most of the songs on world gone wrong is good but most of are kind of bad , but i don't mean that bob dylan is bad , its just the way he sings them in a different voice then most of them. But anyways this song is cool. And also this has to have some comments on this song.

Cover art for Delia lyrics by Bob Dylan

I haven't heard this version, but the lyrics are very similar to the Bromberg version. Strange that no one has mentioned the origins of this song. It was written of a true incident wherein Mose Houton, a 15 year old boy, shot down Delia Green, his 14 year old African American girlfriend. Th murder took place on Christmas Eve, 1900. He shot her after a fight, and was then chased and captured by the owner of the house in which he shot her. Mose got a life sentence, but was given parole after more than 12 years. The song has been changed many times since then, and so has Mose's name, usually to Curtis.

Cover art for Delia lyrics by Bob Dylan

I am a Delia and I hate any version of Delia Green's life in song, she was a female homicide victim.