Cherry Picking Blues
by 
Ida Cox 
recording of July 1924 
from 
Complete Recorded Works, Vol. 2 (1924-1925) (Document 5323) 
Come here pretty papa, sit down on your mama's knee 
Come here pretty papa, sit down on your mama's knee 
I don't want to tell you how you have mistreated me 
You leave me after supper and you don't come home till morn' 
You leave me after supper and you don't come home till morn' 
You'll come home some morning and find your cherry tree gone 
You can't slip back to your 
brownskin 
, I mean your used-to-be 
You can't slip back to your brownskin, I mean your used-to-be 
I know you're crazy 'bout your cherry pie but you can't two-time 
me 
I've got my trunk all packed and I'm going to leave this town 
I've got my trunk all packed and I'm going to leave this town 
Goodbye little papa, another man has cut your cherry tree down 
__________ 
Note 1: two-time me, to betray (a spouse or lover) by secret lovemaking with another.