Seen the arrow on the door post   Saying, "This land is condemned"   All the way   From New Orleans to Jerusalem      I traveled through East Texas   Where many martyrs fell   And I know one thing, nobody can sing   Them blues like blind Willie McTell      Well, I heard the hoot-owl singing   As they were taking down the tents   The stars above all the barren trees   Were his only audience      Yeah, them charcoal gypsy maidens   Can strut their feathers well   And I know one thing, nobody can sing   Them blues like blind Willie McTell      See them big plantations a-burning   Can't you hear the cracking of the whips?   Smell that sweet magnolia blossom blooming   See the ghosts of the slavery ships      Well, I can hear them tribes a-moanin'   I can hear the undertaker's bell   And I know one thing, nobody can sing   Them blues like blind Willie McTell      There's a woman, she's standing by the river   She is with some fine young handsome man   See he's all dressed just like a squire   He's got bootleg whiskey in his hand      Yeah, there's a chain-gang out on the highway   And I can hear them rebels yell   And I know one thing, nobody can sing   Them blues like blind Willie McTell      God, oh God is in Heaven   And we all want what is His   But the power and greed, the corruptible seed   Seems to be all that there is      Hey, hey, I'm a-gazing out the window   Of the St. James Hotel   And I know one thing, nobody can sing   Them blues like blind Willie McTell   Hey, hey, I know one thing, nobody can sing   Them blues like blind Willie McTell