House Rent Boogie Songtext
von John Lee Hooker

I′m gonna tell you a story about the house rent boogie

Long time ago, I stayed with old woman for five long years
I had a good job
I mean a sure enough good job
I worked there everyday for five long years

Yeah, I come home on Friday
She's always smiling
She loves her Johnny and so nice
In every way, she would smile and be so loving Debbie

I had a good job then I come home one Friday
I told old landlady, I had lost my job
She said "what?" I′d done lost my job
"Yeah", she said

Then I kind of noticed
She was acting a little funny
She never would smile too much
When I come in during the daytime


I had lost my job
Uh-huh
"Yeah", She said, "you trying to find a job?"
I said, "yeah, I just can't find no job"

The house rent blue
Uh-huh
She said, "you ain't tryin′ to find no job"

I said, "oh yeah, I been walkin′ all day, I just can't find no job"
She said, she passed the other day
Saw me standin′ on the corner
Leaning against a pole

I said, "I was tired, I've been walking all day"
"I just couldn′t find no job"
Yeah, I'm going across the street here
And try to get this rent together

A friend of mine, i go across the street
I come on in, hey johnny, come on in
I said "say, im outdoors"
He said, "what?"
I said "I′m outdoors"
He said "yeah"
I said, "give me a place to stay tonight"


He said, "let me go in there and talk to my wife"
He come back down the stair
Say "hey Johnny, my wife acting a little funny"
I said, "yeah, everybody's funny"
I said "you're funny too"

I go back across the street
I tell the old landlady
I say, "yes, yes, I′m gonna get the rent together"
She said " yeah"
I said "oh yeah I′m gonna get it"
So you gonna pay me the back rent?
I said, "oh yeah, I'm gonna pay you all of it"

Talking about the back rent
Talking about the back rent

She gonna get none of it
Now I ease on out the door with my clothes
You ain′t getting nothing
Yeah, and I got on away from the house
Talking about back rent
She lucky she get any front rent