Hesitation Blues . . . Hot Tuna

Jorma Kaukonen, Jack Casady. . . (orig: Billy Smythe, Scott Middleton, and Art Gillham.)

Am E . . .G . . F . . Fm . . C

Well, nickel is a nickel, I said, dime is a dime I need a new gal, she won't mind
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, said, must I hesitate?

Well I'm standing on the corner with a dollar in my hand, I'm just looking for a woman looking for a man,

The eagle on the dollar says "in God we trust" You say you want a man You wanna see that dollar first

Well, If the river was whiskey, said, I was a duck You know I'd swim to the bottom, and never come up

Well, rocks in the ocean, said, fish in the sea know you mean the world to me

Going down to the levee Take a rockin' chair If the blues doesn't leave, I'm going to rock away from there.

Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust, I've got a black haired mama, That the rains can't rust.

Got them hesitation stockings, got them hesitation shoes, You know, Lord, I got the hesitation blues
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, Lord, must I hesitate?
Said, can I get you now, how long must I hesitate?

REALLY LONG VERSION:

Well, nickel is a nickel, I said, dime is a dime I need a new gal, she won't mind
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, I said, must I hesitate?

Well I'm standing on the corner with a dollar in my hand,
I'm just looking for a woman thats looking for a man,
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, I said, must I hesitate?

The eagle on the dollar says "in God we trust"
You say you want a man You wanna see that dollar first
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, I said, must I hesitate?

Well, If the river was whiskey, said, I was a duck You know I'd swim to the bottom
Lord, and never come up Tell me how long . . .

Well, rocks in the ocean, said, fish in the sea know you mean the world to me
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, Lord, must I hesitate?

Going down to the levee Take a rockin' chair
If the blues doesn't leave, I'm going to rock away from there.
Tell me how long do I have to wait?

Going up to the mountains, peep through a hole
Saw your little monkey doin' the jelly roll
Tell me how long do I have to wait?

Ashes to ashes, Dust to dust, I've got a black haired mama, That the rains can't rust.
Tell me how long do I have to wait?

Well, got them hesitation stockings, got them hesitation shoes,
You know, Lord, I got them hesitation blues
Tell me how long do I have to wait? Can I get you now, Lord, must I hesitate?
Said, can I get you now, how long must I hesitate?

*The above file is this author's own work and
represents his interpretation of this well-known
song. This file may only be used for private study,
scholarship, or research.