Molly be damned smote Jimmy the Harp
With a horrid little pistol and a lariat
she's goin to the bottom
and she's goin down the drain
Said she wasn't big enough to carry it

She got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow
She got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow
She got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow
She got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow

Choppity chop goes the axe in the woods
You gotta meet me by the fall down tree
Shovel of dirt upon a coffin lid
and I know they'll come lookin for me boys
and I know they'll come a-lookin for me

Got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow
Got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow
Got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow
Got to get behind the Mule
in the morning and plow

Big Jack Earl was 8'1'
He stood in the road and he cried
He couldn't make her love him
Couldn't make her stay
but tell the good Lord that he tried

Dusty trail from Atchison to Placerville
On the wreck of the Weaverville stage
Beaula fired on Beatty for a lemonade
I was stirring my brandy with a nail boys
Stirring my brandy with a nail

Well the rampaging sons of the widow James
Jack the cutter and the pock marked kid
Had to stand naked at the bottom
Of the cross
And tell the good lord what they did
Tell the good lord what they did

Punctuated birds on the power line
In a Studebaker with the Birdie Joe Hoaks
I'm diggin all the way to China
With a silver spoon
While the hangman fumbles with the noose, boys
The hangman fumbles with the noose

Pin your ear to the wisdom post
Pin your eye to the line
Never let the weeds get higher
than the garden
Always keep a sapphire in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind