in his youth he worked the Southern fields every day
earning next to nothing but a bale of hay
and after rent and food were pulled from his pay
all that remained was
debt and dismay
oh the family could have walked away - walked away
but it would've been a crime on display
crime on display
oh goodness gracious old uncle Jim Crow
made it made it
hard to
walk away
hard to
walk away
later he wrote sang songs and played his guitar
yet no coins ever fell in his jar
no loyalties and no promised royalties
he stood up and made his stand
pulled the plug on that electric guitar
and added one last verse to his repertoire - yes he
pulled the plug on that electric guitar
adding one last verse to his repertoire -
I’m makin’ everybody rich and
I’m makin’ everybody rich and
here I am
poor poor poor
poor poor Jim Crow poor
makin’ everybody rich
poor poor poor
poor poor poor Jim Crow poor
same as before
poor poor poor
here I am
just as before
here I am
just as before
the blues man tryin' to make ends meet
enough so the family would have some wheat
bootleggin' truck drivin' or back to the field's heat
whatever it took
fields or the street
empty stomachs with not much to eat
oh how he tried to keep upbeat
oh how he tried to keep it upbeat
old uncle Jim Crow made it, sure made it sure made it
oh my goodness gracious old uncle Jim Crow made it, sure made it
hard to
eat
hard to
eat
the man from Forest Mississippi started playin' again
this time with thick ledger and pen
still not much to count but just the same
this time around he was to
claim some fame as he sang out again
what had become a catchy refrain
claim some fame as he sang out again
what had become a catchy refrain
I’m makin’ everybody rich
I’m makin’ everybody rich and
here I am
poor poor poor
poor poor Jim Crow poor
makin’ everybody rich
poor poor poor
poor poor poor Jim Crow poor
same as before
poor poor poor
here I am
just as before
here I am
poor poor poor
poor poor poor Jim Crow poor
same as before
poor poor poor
here I am
here I am
just as before
