See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
[a.k.a. "One Kind Favor"]
Words & Music:
Blind Lemon Jefferson

Peter, Paul & Mary's "One Kind Favor" was a re-working of this song.  Many thanks to songhound Dan M. for introducing me to the Blind Lemon Jefferson original!  Bob Dylan & B.B. King have covered the original version.  Apparently, fans & folk musicians have heeded his call and taken great care of his grave.  I've included several versions here.

1. Peter, Paul & Mary version ("One Kind Favor")
              Am
Well, there's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
              Am
Well, there's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
        Am                  Dm
There's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
Am          E7            Am
See that my grave is kept clean.

There's two white horses in a line.
There's two white horses in a line.
There's two white horses in a line.
Carryin' me to my buryin' ground.

There's three black coaches in the rain.
There's three black coaches in the rain.
There's three black coaches in the rain.
Empty now from their heavy load.

Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Have you ever heard a coffin sound?
Bein' lowered in the ground?

There's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
There's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
There's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
See that my grave is kept clean.


2. Blind Lemon Jefferson ("See That My Grave..." version - Dream Syndicate's Chords)
              Dm       C                 Dm
Well, there's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
              Dm       C                 Dm
Well, there's one kind favor I'll ask of you.
             Dm       C                 G
There's just one kind favor I'll ask of you:
G                                 Dm
You can see that my grave is kept clean.

And there's two white horses following me.
And there's two white horses following me.
I got two white horses following me,
Waiting on my burying ground.

Did you ever hear that coffin' sound?
Have you ever heard that coffin' sound?
Did you ever hear that coffin' sound?
Means another poor boy is under ground.

Did you ever hear them church bells tone
Have you ever hear'd them church bells tone
Did you ever hear them church bells tone
Means another poor boy is dead and gone

Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold.
And, my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold.
Well, my heart stopped beating and my hands turned cold.
Now I believe what the bible told.

There's just one last favor I'll ask of you.
And there's one last favor I'll ask of you.
There's just one last favor I'll ask of you:
See that my grave is kept clean.


3. Blind Lemon Jefferson ("One Kind Favor" version)

Just one kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor, I ask of you
To see that my grave is kept clean

If you ever hear a church bell toll
If you ever hear a church bell toll
If you ever hear, a church bell toll
You'll know by that I'm dead and gone

Dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave with a silver spade
Dig my grave, with a silver spade
Mark the place where I would lay

Just one kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor I ask of you
One kind favor, I ask of you
See that my grave is kept clean
See that my grave is kept clean
See my grave is kept clean