Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out

Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
By Jimmy Cox in 1923

Originally recorded by Bessie Smith, I first heard the Josh White version. Of course most of my generation was introduced to it on Derek and The Dominoes Layla album.

This is my ukulele version. On guitar I play it in G.

C      E7                  A       A7
Once I lived the life of a millionaire,
Dm           A             Dm      
Spent all my money, didn't have any cares
F           B7                C           A7
Took all my friends out for a mighty good time,
D7                     G7
Bought bootleg liquor, champagne and wine.

Then I began to fall so low,
Lost all my good friends, I did not have nowhere to go.
I get my hands on a dollar again,
I'm gonna hang on to it till that eagle grins.

'Cause no, no, nobody knows you
When you're down and out.
In your pocket, not one penny,
And as for friends, you don't have any.

When you finally get back up on your feet again,
Everybody wants to be your old long-lost friend.
Said it's mighty strange, without a doubt,
Nobody knows you when you're down and out.