Music

Guitarist Robbie Robertson is the only member to get a composer credit on this, even though the others claimed they helped write it. This means Robertson continues to earn royalties from it while the others get nothing. The Band recorded this in Sammy Davis Jr.'s Hollywood house. The Band rented it to record their second album (Source songfacts.com) When I get off of this mountain You know where I want to go Straight down the Mississippi river To the Gulf of Mexico To Lake Charles Louisiana Little Bessie, girl that I once knew She told me just to come on by If there's anything that she could do Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me If I spring a leak, she mends me I don't have to speak, as she defends me A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one Good luck had just stung me To the race track I did go She bet on one horse to win And I bet on another to show The odds were in my favor I had 'em five to one When that nag to win came around the track Sure enough we had won Up on Cripple Creek, as she sends me If I spring a leak, as she mends me I don't have to speak, as she defends me A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one I took up all of my winnings And I gave my little Bessie half And she tore it up and threw it in my face Just for a laugh Now there's one thing in the whole wide world I sure love to see That's when that little love of mine Dips her doughnut in my tea Up on Cripple Creek, as she sends me If I spring a leak, as she mends me I don't have to speak, as she defends me A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one Now me and my mate were back at the shack We had Spike Jones on the box She said, "I can't take the way he sings But I love to hear him talk" Now that just gave my heart a throb To the bottom of my feet And I swore as I took another pull My Bessie can't be beat Up on Cripple Creek, as she sends me If I spring a leak, as she mends me I don't have to speak, as she defends me A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one As there's a flood out in California And up North it's freezing cold And this living on the road Is getting pretty old So I guess, I'll call up my big mama Tell her I'll be rolling in But you know, deep down I'm kind of tempted To go and see my Bessie again Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me If I spring a leak, she mends me I don't have to speak, she defends me A drunkard's dream if I ever did see one"