[Instrumental intro]

Operation, will it help me?
Got this bad disease
On my backside I've got this strange growth
It's quite worrisome now to me
I'm real short of breath
I think I might require
emergency surgery

I've got these sores in my mouth
some of them are really huge
And now I am experiencing numbness
and my fingers have turned blue
They gave me pills for it
But that did not stop it
Relief from this I sure could use

Those damn pills for that numbness
Always seem to cloud my mind
And sometimes they cause disorientation
That is not a very good sign
My blood pressure is way up
I cannot keep my food down
Worried "bout my health decline

I might be dyin'
I sure feel ill
Ache and hurt; I just don't feel right
Medical care right now seems quite important
My future don't seem bright
I just want to keep livin'
I sure hope I'm not done
Sure hope they can save my life

[Instrumental break]

[below part sung in "blues" style during and to harmonica solo notes]
{I don't want to die, now}
{I wanna go on}
{Keep on livin' some more}
{I'm not ready to go to St. Peter, now}
{No, I don't want to knock on Heaven's Door}
{I wanna hang around, yeah}
{I want to live some more}...
Hoping they can save my life...