Lyrics:

Lilly Pearl, standing by the wood stove
Cooking up a pot of fatback and beans
Aprons made out of Martha White flour sack
Them was the days when Lilly was queen
There's gonna be a family reunion
Down around Little River Park
Lilly got a brand-new baby, they say
Jesse Brown had to up and run away
It might as well rain 'cause nobody came
Jesse left so fast, the baby got no name
Lilly Pearl, what'cha gonna name your baby? (baby, baby)
Lilly Pearl, what'cha gonna name your child?
Lilly Pearl, they say he run away and left you crazy (crazy, crazy)
But, ooh, your man had a pretty smile

Lilly Pearl told most folks
She could raise her baby fine without a man
But she cried at the table to her kin folk
Her people cried with her, but did they understand?

Lilly Pearl, still standing by the wood stove
Talking to a pot of fatback and beans
20 years later, still cooking a spread
But there's no reunion, 'cause the family's most dead
They took her baby at the age of 13
Left her living in the days when Lilly was queen
Lilly Pearl, did you ever name your baby? (baby, baby, baby)
Lilly Pearl, do you ever miss your child?
Lilly Pearl, his daddy run away and left you crazy (crazy, crazy, good)
But ooh, your man had a pretty smile (get out of here, and get on up)
Lilly Pearl, you're never gonna know your baby (baby, baby, yeah)
Lilly Pearl, they never let you see your child
Lilly Pearl, his daddy run away and left you crazy, crazy, crazy...