Dave Van Ronk — He Never Came Back

I went into a restaurant as hungry as a bear And like a raving maniac I grabbed the bill of fare The waiter said "what will you have?" "Give me a steak," I say He took my order, bowed his head, and slowly walked away And he never came back He never came back Though I waited an hour or more Oh, his face I will break If he don't bring that steak When we meet on that beautiful shore A jay who lived down on the farm come into see the town Registered at Smith's hotel as Mr Hayseed Brown A jay he was, so y'all admit, with whiskers green as grass Pulled off his shoes, jumped into bed, and then blew out the gas And he never came back He never came back And as they broke down the door Oh, the last words he said Just before he dropped dead Were "we'll meet on that beautiful shore" I went into a circus show, I took my mother-in-law She laughed at everything she saw 'till she nearly broke her jaw Nearby I saw a big balloon which proved to be my friend I threw her in, I cut the rope, and up she did ascend And she never came back She never came back Though we waited for six days or more Oh, there's one thing I know I will go down below If we meet on that beautiful shore