Now, after the Lampkin boys had been killed
by the Illinois police,
this just about worried their mama and papa to death.
Johnny took sick; Gussie lost weight.
They just couldn’t believe what had happened to them.
David was dead and Cleveland was, too.
Monroe been shot and facing time.
This all just about worried the Lampkin family to death.
They buried them boys on a Sunday afternoon,
clouds in the sky and sad-looking day.
Johnny and Gussie just couldn’t believe
it happened that way.
They shouted and hollered, crying at the funeral.
What a sad day for the Lampkin family, it was.
It was a double funeral they had that day.
Gussie and Johnny cried and shouted all the way.
Gussie walked up to David’s casket.
Her sweet son was dead and gone.
She hollered out, “David, my boy, is dead.”
She fell over in Johnny’s arms just a-crying so,
tears from her eyes on Cleveland’s casket.
This just about worried the Lampkin family to death.
Nine other brothers, sad at the funeral that day.
One of the Lampkin boys had just got killed that summer.
Yes, Leroy is dead, the baby boy we had.
This just about killed Johnny and Gussie, too.
The Lampkin boys were all good boys.
They worked hard farming and cutting pulpwood, too.
Twelve boys were born to Johnny and Gussie.
They love all twelve of them boys so much.
Johnny took sick; Gussie lost weight.
Them boys’ funeral was sure sad that day.
In Mississippi, this family lives on.
Johnny and Gussie are getting by;
they hurt so bad them boys did die.
Folks said Leroy was dumb and David. too.
What do you know? Is it really so?
The Lampkin boys were all good boys.
They worked hard farming and cutting pulpwood, too.
David picked the guitar and sang so well.
Music in the family, it is.
Them boys’ funeral was sure sad that day.