I'd Rather Be A-Pickin'

(album: Hey Joe! Hey Moe! - 1981)

Daddy farmed the river bottom mama milked the cow
Sister washed the dirty dishes brother run the plow
Uncle Billy coon hunting cousin Willy drunk
Granny run the washboard sitting on a stump

Daddy coming home with a sack of turnip greens
Dirt on his hand and holes in his jeans
And I'm the only one ain't doing any good
A picking on the guitar instead of chopping wood

They all say I'm no count ain't worth a pair of shorts
Picking on the roof top picking on the porch
A country boy's picking isn't doing what he should
I'd rather be a picking than a chopping that wood

Willy's on the pond in a leaky John boat
Ned's in the outhouse learning how to smoke
Cousin Homer chewing on a day's worth plug
Getting up the courage just take another slug

Willy's soaking wet cause the boat don't float
Brother stopped the plow said the mule done broke
Grandpa's got some catfish a hanging on a string
Sister's in the holler getting water from the spring

They all say I'm no count ain't worth a pair of shorts
Picking on the roof top picking on the porch
A country boy's picking isn't doing what he should
I'd rather be a picking than a chopping that wood

Mama's cooking supper on a big wood stove
Sister's making biscuits outta ole sourdough
Big channel cat just a cooking in the grease
Make me hungry make me wanna eat

They all say I'm no count ain't worth a pair of shorts
Picking on the roof top picking on the porch
A country boy's picking isn't doing what he should
I'd rather be a picking than a chopping that wood

A country boy's picking isn't doing what he should
I'd rather be a picking than a chopping that wood...