Black Cat Bones - Death Valley Blues - 1970 (03:54)
Black Cat Bones was a British heavy blues rock group from London.
The band is perhaps best known for having had Paul Kossoff and Simon Kirke in its lineup, both of whom later joined Free in 1968. Kirke also became a founding member of Bad Company in 1974.
The band formed in 1966 with original members Paul Tiller (lead vocals and harmonica), Paul Kossoff (lead guitar), brothers Derek Brooks (rhythm guitar) and Stuart Brooks (bass), and Terry Sims (drums).
Black Cat Bones (named after black cat bones, a Hoodoo charm associated with blues music) played regularly on the London pub circuit. Early in the band's existence came several personnel changes, with Terry Sims being replaced by drummer Frank Perry, who was in turn replaced in early 1968 by drummer Simon Kirke. Paul Tiller was later replaced by vocalist Brian Short.
Must have been the devil who changed my mind
Must have been the wind blowing, not me crying
Half the joy of leaving was the space I left behind
Now I'm back, angelheaded holloweyed
Placed myself at the eye of the storm
Just didn't see the signpost to scorn
The blue sky wrinkled through my tears
Then darkness grounded all my fears
I gave him my sugar, he switched it for salt
Should have seem him coming, that's always my fault
Rocks for my pillow and sand for my bed
For better or worse I left him for dead
But two rivers to each other run
Words that shook me like the kick of a gun
Had something in my heart, ain't got no name
Turned out he left the same
Ain't it lonesome, ain't it sad
I was the only happiness he ever had
By Indian River the vows were said
In a red devil's dress I was wed
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone
Bitch's baby round lady came to me in a dream
Then lightning struck and thunder roared
And nothing was as it seemed
A two-headed doctor walked on the water
And buried a lemon outside my door
He turned and laughed, threw up his hands
When I asked him what it was for
He sang, 'Ships in the ocean rocks in the sea
Blond-headed woman made a fool outta me'
Then everything went crazy, my shoes filled with blood
The water rose, the wind did howl
The river looked ready to flood
I left my man asleep to drown and ran without looking back around
Ring the bells of mercy, send the sinnerman home
The keys to the kingdom are lost and gone
And I'm left to die alone all these girls grown old now
All that long hair in the grave realize what's done is done
It's far too late to be saved
Yeah cat cat cat
Yeah cat cat cat
Yeah cat cat cat
Cat cat bone, cat cat cat bone