Stealin'
The song as we know it today was first recorded by the Memphis Jug Band, and was recorded on September 15, 1928, in Memphis, Tennessee. It featured Will Shade on harmonica, Charlie Burse on lead vocal and guitar, Ben Ramey singing harmony and playing kazoo, and Jab Jones playing the jug.
The label named Will Shade as the composer, and the copyright is still administered by Shade’s publisher, Peermusic (formerly known as the Southern Music Publishing Company). Gus Cannon, who claimed to have written the opening line, is sometimes credited with authorship of this song.
The Grateful Dead played the song in their early days in 1966, but in then dropped from their repertoire. Jerry Garcia later recorded it with David Grisman, and was released by Grisman in 1996 as part of the album “Shady Grove”.
Lyrics
Put your arms around me like a circle round the sun
I wanna love you moma like my easy rider done (note 1)
You don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been (note 2)
You don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in
Stealin', stealin', pretty moma don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be
The woman I love she's just my height and size
A married girl, come to see me some time
You don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been
You don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in
Stealin', stealin', pretty moma don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be
Well I'm going up North, gonna see my girl (note 3)
Sweetest thing in the whole wide world
You don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been
You don't believe I'm sinking, look what a hole I'm in
Stealin', stealin', pretty moma don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be
Stealin', stealin', pretty moma don't you tell on me
I'm stealin' back to my same old used to be
Notes
(1) the original Memphis Jug Band version is "I want you to love me mama like my easy rider done", which makes better sense. But Jerry always seems to have sung "I wanna love you mama ..." And on some versions he sings "I wanna love you rider ..."
(2) again, the original Memphis Jug Band version is "If you don't believe I love you, look what a fool I've been", and similarly for the next line. Jerry often only got part of these lines out, singing "Believe I'm sinking, what a fool I've been" for example on some live versions.
(3) this verse does not appear in the Memphis Jug Band version. I'm not sure where Jerry got it from.
Lead Sheet
Compare this to the Grateful Dead version (under the chord chart tab).
Chord Chart
Compare this to the Grisman/Garcia version (under the lead sheet tab). Note the movement from the tonic G chord to a C/G in the verse section, and the added chords in the chorus.
Intro (Garcia/Grisman version)
Here is the intro from the Garcia/Grisman version on their album Shady Grove.
