Asked sweet mama, Let me be her kid
She said, "You might get hurt if you don't keep it hid"

Well I know my baby, If I see her in the dark
I said I know my rider, If I see her in the dark

Now, I goin' to Rosedale, Take my rider by my side
Still barrelhouse, If it's on the riverside, yeah
I know my baby, Lord, I said, "is really sloppy drunk"
I know my mama, Lord, a brown skin, but she ain't no plum

See my baby, tell her, Tell her hurry home
Had no lovin', since my baby been gone
See my baby, Tell hurry on home
I ain't had, Lord, my right mind, Since my rider's been gone

Hey, she promises, She's my rider
I want to tell you, She's my rider
I know you're mine, She's my rider
She ain't but sixteen, But she's my rider

I'm goin' to Rosedale, Take my rider by side
Anybody argue with me man, I'll keep them satisfied
Well, see my baby, tell her, Tell her the shape I'm in
Ain't had no lovin', Lord, since you know when

Spoken: Why don't you come into my kitchen
She's a kindhearted lady. She studies evil all the time
She's a kindhearted woman. She studies evil all the time

Squeeze my lemon 'til the juice runs down my leg
Squeeze it so hard, I'll fall right out of bed
Squeeze my lemon, 'til the juice runs down my leg

Spoken: I wonder if you know what I'm talkin' about
Oh, but the way that you squeeze it girl
I swear I'm gonna fall right out of bed

She's a good rider
She's my kindhearted lady
I'm gonna take my rider by my side
I said her front teeth are lined with gold
She's gotta mortgage on my body, got a lien on my soul
She's my brown skin sugar plum


Lyrics submitted by kevin

Travelling Riverside Blues Lyrics as written by Robert Johnson

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Travelling Riverside Blues song meanings
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  • 0
    General Comment

    Sucks that nobody commented on this song. the intro and slide guitar is great throughout the song. a Feel Good Song for sure. It's hard to make out the lyrics by listening to the song but they got them right there up there so that helps out. Not sure but i guess its about a guy who's in love with an african american (She's my brownskin sugar plum) but is being told that the interacial thing might not be a good idea "You might get hurt if you don't keep it hid" but i dont know, great song tho by the way

    Drix793on April 21, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Pretty good stuff !!!!!!!!!!!!

    Fever Catton May 03, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a fantastic tribute to the great Robert Johnson (probably one of your most quietly influential blues musicians ever) here are his original lyrics:

    If your man get personal, want to have your fun, If your man get personal, want to have your fun, Just come on back to Friars Point, mama, barrelhouse all night long.

    I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennesse, I got womens in Vicksburg, clean on into Tennesse, But my Friars Point rider, now, hops all over me.

    I ain't gonna state no color but her front teeth 's crowned with gold. Ain't gonna state no color but her front teeth 's crowned with gold. She got a mortgage on my body 'n' a lien on my soul.

    Lord, I'm goin' to Rosedale, gon' take my rider by my side, Lord, I'm goin' to Rosedale, gon' take my rider by my side, We can still barrelhouse, baby, 'cause it's on the riverside.

    Now, you can squeeze my lemon 'til the juice runs down my, (spoken: ''Til the juice run down my leg, baby, you know what I'm talkin' about.') You can squeeze my lemon 'til the juice run down my leg, (spoken: 'That's what I'm talkin' 'bout now.') But I'm goin' back to Friars Point, if I'll be rockin' to my head

    chaikyon June 09, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think when the "brownskin sugarplum" tells him that he might get hurt if he doesn't keep it hid...it's his love and intense feelings for this girl. she just wants to have fun, bang, and dance the night away. revealing how much he really loves her may turn her off...and she's letting him know that he shouldn't do this if they're to keep seeing each other. hey, correct me if i'm wrong. took it from a weird angle...hehe.

    Atemporalon June 20, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love the fact that this song, and "Crossroads" by Cream are both homages to the great Robert Johnson. If you don't believe me, download "Travelling Riverside Blues" by him. It's awesome, and it really shows what an impact early blues musicians like Johnson had on Led Zeppelin (as if that weren't obvious enough by the fact they are masters of the blues)

    cartman716on June 24, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    the main riff in this song was recicled for "for Your Life".

    Ben2k9on May 07, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is a really good song by Zeppelin. I love the "Squeeze my lemon til the juice runs down my leg" part. =P

    x_nikole_xon October 05, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    props to all of you who know it was robert johnson. creams/claptons cover of crossroads is indeed awesome. as is claptons cover of travelin riverside blues.

    davegrohlfanon January 04, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ''Squeeze my lemon till the juice runs down my leg'' ? that sounds sssoooooo wrong. Not that the lyric is wrong, i mean the meaning of it.

    ZeppelinRockson January 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Zeps best blues song

    The Neeron February 05, 2005   Link

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