Mornin' comes with cloudy skies and rain
My poor back am broke with pain.
My man's sleepin', I just scrubbin'
Chillin', weepin', I do rubbin'
Age a-creepin', clothes a-tubbin'
All day long
Up to dat washin' soap
And down to dat water once more
Head down low, head low
Up to dat washin' soap
And down to dat water once more
Poor hands go, oh lawdy
So weary of scrubbin', days dreary
So weary of tubbin' them clothes!
Up to dat washin' soap
And down to dat water once more
Washboard blues!

Never get me gone from here
Scrubbin' dirty clothes all year!
Dem clothes
Dem muckety clothes
Dem raggedy clothes
Dem grimy clothes
That's all I know
Up and down, back and forth, all day long!
Oh lawdy, won't you hear my song, hear my song?

Washin' in a shanty on de shore
The river swingin' on by de door
Hear dat river, lowly callin'
I's a-shiver, night's a-fallin'
Hear dat river lowly moanin', moanin' low

I a-goin' to dat river
Goin' down to dat river some day
Hurry day, hurry day, hurry day, hurry!
I a-goin' to dat river
Goin' down to dat river some day
Throw myself, my poor self, self away!
Oh lawdy, must a-keep scrubbin'
Must a-keep tubbin'
Must a-keep drubbin'
Must a-keep tubbin'
Them ole dirty clothes!
But I'm goin' to dat river
Goin' down to dat river some day
Hurry day, hurry day, hurry day, hurry!