“Eleven-Cent Cotton” Sheet Music (pdf).
“Eleven-Cent Cotton” Karaoke (midi with lyrics).
Lyrics: Emma Dermer and Bob Miller.
Tune: Emma Dermer and Bob Miller.
’Leven cent cotton, forty cent meat,
How in the world can a poor man eat?
Pray for the sunshine ’cause it will rain;
Things gettin’ worse drivin’ us insane;
Built a nice house; painted it brown;
Lightnin’ came along and burnt it down.
No use talkin’; any man’s beat
With ’leven cent cotton and forty cent meat.
’Leven cent cotton, forty cent meat,
Keep gettin’ thinner ’cause we don’t eat.
Tried to raise peas; tried to raise beans;
All we can raise is turnip greens.
No corn in the crib; no chicks in the yard;
No meat in the smokehouse; no tubs full of lard.
No use talkin’; any man’s beat
With ’leven cent cotton and forty cent meat.
’Leven cent cotton, forty cent meat,
How in the world can a poor man eat?
Our clothes worn out; shoes run down;
Old slouch hat with a hole in the crown.
Poor gettin’ poorer all around here;
Kids comin’ regular ev’ry year.
No use talkin’; any man’s beat
With ’leven cent cotton and forty cent meat.
’Leven cent cotton, forty cent meat,
How in the world can a poor man eat?
Mule’s in the barn; no crops laid by;
Corn crib’s empty, and the cow’s gone dry.
Well water’s low, nearly out of sight;
Can’t take a bath on a Saturday night.
No use talkin’; any man’s beat
With ’leven cent cotton and forty cent meat.