Cat. #0580 (MFH #66) - As sung by Everette Conklin, Eureka Springs, Arkansas on July 23, 1961
VERSE 1
When first into this world we came
My troubles did begin
Cause I had a brother John,
To me he was a twin
VERSE 2
Now, we looked so very much alike
That you could'nt tell one from the other
I've often got the blame
For things done by my brother
VERSE 3
Now, John was born bow legged
And he clined to be a crook
One day upon th street he stole
A ladies pocket book
VERSE 4
Now, a policeman came, but John escaped
Down th street he ran
I happened just to come along
She said, I was th man
VERSE 5
Now, th policeman quickly grabbed me
To th jail he took
She told th judge, I robbed 'er
She indentified my looks
VERSE 6
Says I, it t'was my brother John
We look like one another
Judge says, I'll give you three years
For lookin' like your brother
VERSE 7
Well, John of course got married
An' he had a lovely wife
John an' her could not agree
Through out their married life
VERSE 8
An' often when he'd quarrel
He'd go out upon a spree
Of'en when he came home drunk
Th neighbors thought t'was me
VERSE 9
One day I took my best girl
To a restaurant, for to dine
Johns wife, she saw us enter
An' she folowed close behind
VERSE 10
Now, she took me home an' locked th door
Then brought in her Mother
Two of them beat me black an' blue
Fer lookin' like my brother
VERSE 11
Well, John he came home loaded
An' he tumbld into bed
She thought he'd turned th gas out
But he blew it out instead
VERSE 12
Next morn, we could not wake him
When we knocked upon th door
No answer came, we bursted in
He was dead upon th floor
VERSE 13
Next day, we held a funeral
Put him in th hearse
We hurried to th burrying grounds
His body to disperse
VERSE 14
Now, we went so fast the corpse flew out
Never missed, he'd gone
When they saw me at th grave
They thought that I was John
VERSE 15
Well, the undertaker grabbed me
Now he said, now John behave
You know your dead, you cannot kick
You must go in that grave
VERSE 16
Now, they nailed me in that pine box
Though I kicked and yelled, for Mother
Could not tell us two apart
So, I was buried for my brother
Max Hunter transcribed the singer's name as "Everett Conklin."