old man down way down down down by the docks of the city blind and dirty asked me for a dime a dime for a cup of coffee i got no dime but i got some time to hear his story my name is august west and i love my pearly baker best more than my wine more than my wine more than my maker though he s no friend of mine everyone said i d come to no good i knew i would pearly believe them half of my life i spent doin time for some other fucker s crime the other half found me stumbling round drunk on burgundy wine but i ll get back on my feet someday the good old lord willin if he says i may i know that the life i m livin s no good i ll get a new start live the life i should i ll get up and fly away i ll get up and fly away fly away pearly s been true true to me true to my dyin day he said i said to him i said to him i m sure she s been i said to him i m sure she s been true to you i got up and wandered wandered downtown nowhere to go but just hang around i ve got a girl named bonnie lee i know that girl s been true to me i know she s been i m sure she s been true to me