Gravel grit beneath these walkin' shoes.
Crunching noise beneath my walkin' shoes.
Please, Lord, don't wake my baby up
     Walking blues.

My baby loves me but not my drinkin' ways.
My baby needs me but not my drinkin' ways.
She'll toss me on my ear one of these
     Drinking days.

Oh, just get me in the door and I'll be clean.
Oh, just get me into bed and I'll stay clean
Without waking my baby up
     Without no scene.

Keys jangle at the door, but they all look the same.
Keys jangle in my hands, but they all look the same
Fumble at my baby's keyhole in
     My dark and shame.

I pad across the hardwood floor in my stockin' feet.
I creep across the cold wood floor in my stockin' feet.
To my baby's bedroom so
     Perfume sweet.

I'm almost home to baby so warm and fair.
I'm nearly safe beside her so warm and fair.
I slip beneath the covers,
     But she's not there.

Gravel grit beneath those walkin' shoes.
Gravel noise beneath her walkin' shoes.
My baby left me for another man
     Walking blues.