Sleep on, sleep on, sleep on
Little girl, sleep on, just sleep on
Sleep on, sleep on,
Little girl, just sleep on, sleep on
Well I know you're dead and resting darling, but one day
I know the graveyard's gonna be my home

(every living people got to die, human beings)

Mama was rocking by the window,
Howling: my poor child is dead, yes she's dead
Yeah you know my poor child is dead and gone

(What made me feel so good, she said this:)

Sleep on, sleep on son,
Do you know your mother is coming on?
Whoa the graveyard ain't too beautiful,
But it will give you a home so long

I wouldn't mind dying,
Po' Lightnin' would just have to lay dead so long
Wouldn't mind dying,
but I'd have to lay dead so long
That I wouldn't have a chance to come back here and tell my friends,
No nobody, what is going on

Told my baby, don't worry if I die, darling,
I know I'm gonna leave your little bed warm
Don't worry if po' Lightnin' lay down and die,
'Cause I'm gonna leave your little bed very warm
Whoa you know, I can't worry when I'm dead and gone, but one thing,
Little girl, I know you is coming home