Just gorgeous and moving. I prefer this recording to the one on the Mad Dogs and Englishmen album, big though that band and chorus are. Joe is so fatigued there, and sounds in his best and most beautiful voice here.
Lyric I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' about half past dead; I just need some place where I can lay my head. "Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?" He just grinned and shook my hand, and "No!", was all he said. Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free; Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) You can put the load right on me. I picked up my bag, I went lookin' for a place to hide; When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin' side by side. I said, "Hey, Carmen, come on, let's go downtown." She said, "I gotta go, but m'friend can stick around." Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free; Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) You can put the load right on me. Go down, Miss Moses, there's nothin' you can say It's just ol' Luke, and Luke's waitin' on the Judgement Day. "Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?" He said, "Do me a favor, son, woncha stay an' keep Anna Lee company?" Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free; Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) You can put the load right on me. Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog. He said, "I will fix your rack, if you'll take Jack, my dog." I said, "Wait a minute, Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man." He said, "That's okay, boy, won't you feed him when you can." Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free; Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) You can put the load right on me. Catch a cannon ball now, t'take me down the line My bag is sinkin' low and I do believe it's time. To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one. Who sent me here with her regards for everyone. Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free; Take a load off Fanny, And (and) (and) You can put the load right on me.
