Jerry Reed performs "Gimme Back My Blues"

Jerry Reed Hubbard (March 20, 1937 – September 1, 2008), known professionally as Jerry Reed, was an American country music singer, guitarist, and songwriter, as well as an actor who appeared in more than a dozen films. His signature songs included "Guitar Man", "U.S. Male", "A Thing Called Love", "Alabama Wild Man", "Amos Moses", "When You're Hot, You're Hot" (which garnered a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance, Male), "Ko-Ko Joe", "Lord, Mr. Ford", "East Bound and Down" (the theme song for the 1977 blockbuster Smokey and the Bandit, in which Reed co-starred), "The Bird", and "She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)".

 

Reed was announced as an inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame on April 5, 2017 and was officially inducted by Bobby Bare on October 24.

Jerry Reed - Gimme Back My Blues Lyrics

 

Way down in southern West Virginia lived a girl they called Imogene

Her old man died and left her his money he was a coal field king

Now Imogene told me if you'll be my husband I'll dress you in patent leather shoes

Well hello good times so long rambling goodbye down and out blues

 

Now mama she told me don't marry for money she may act just like a queen

She may be rich but there's always a hitch she can talk sweet and still be mean

Now buddy I know don't you marry for dough I remember when I didn't have any

I'm telling you son if you marry for mon you're gonna earn every penny

Oh son

 

Now Imogene she never took her hair down she just loafed around all day dressed in her slip

I couldn't drink beer or smoke my cigars she was so good at cracking that whip

Now old Imogene half Indian and half bulldog and I'm just a coyote howlin'

Cause she's either on the warpath or sittin' round the house stretched on her tail end a growlin'

 

Now breakfast in bed ain't so bad for your head if you're layin' there enjoyin' the snack

But it ain't so much fun if you're the one carryin' while she's propped up in the sack

Now buddy I know don't you marry for dough you'd be better off with holes in your shoes

Well I'm gonna run bein' rich ain't no fun hey judge won't you gimme back

Judge won't you gimme hey hey judge won't you gimme back my blues

 

Well I'm gonna run bein' rich ain't no fun hey judge won't you gimme back my blues