Outside Woman Blues
by 
Blind Joe 
(Willie) Reynolds 
recording of November 1929, Grafton, Wisconsin 
from 
Complete Recorded Works of Son House & The Great Delta Blues Singers (Document DOCD 5002) 
When you lose your money, great God, don't lose your mind 
When you lose your money, great God, don't lose your mind, hmm hmm 
And when you lose your woman, please don't fool with mine 
I'm gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my old lady whilst I sleep 
I'm gonna buy me a bulldog, watch my old lady when I sleep, hmm hmm 
'Cause women these days, get so doggone crooked, till it might make a 'fore-day creep 
Tell you married men, how to keep young wifes at home 
Tell you married men, how to keep young wifes at home 
Get you a job, roll for the man, and try to carry your labor home 
Tell you married women, how to keep your husbands at home 
Tell you married women, how to keep your husbands at home, hmm hmm 
You oughta take care of that man's labor, and let these single boys alone 
You can't watch you wife and your outside women 
too 
You can't watch you wife and your outside women too 
While you off with your woman, your wife could be at home 
Beatin' you doin' it, buddy what you trying to do? 
Hmmm hmmm, buddy what you tryin' to do? 
__________ 
Notes: this song was recorded under the performing name, Blind Joe Reynolds. The song describes to the troubles a man has in keeping his wife and a mistress. Blind Joe Reynolds had several "outside" women of his own and was known to have lived with at least 2 women at a time. The Rock and Roll supergroup 
Cream 
recorded their own variation of this song on their 
Disraeli Gears 
album in 1967. It is doubtful that Reynolds ever knew of their covering the song; 
Note 1: this lyric appears to be common in early blues recordings. It also appears in Tampa Red's recording of his hokum hit " 
Western Bound Blues 
" in May 1932"; 
Note 2: outside woman, slang for a mistress or "woman on the side".