Cotton Mill Colic

Cotton Mill Colic - Pete Seeger

When you go to work well you work like the devil

At the end of the week you're not on the level

Payday comes you ain't got a penny

'Cause when you pay your bills you got so many

I'm a-gonna starve and everybody will

'Cause you can't make a livin' in a cotton mill

When you buy clothes on easy terms

Collector treats you like a measly worm

One dollar down and the Lord knows

If you can't make a payment

They take your clothes

I'm a-gonna starve and everybody will

'Cause you can't make a livin' in a cotton mill

Payday comes you pay your rent

End of the week you ain't got a cent

To buy fat-backed meat pinto beans

Cook up a mess o' turnip greens

I'm a-gonna starve and everybody will

'Cause you can't make a livin' in a cotton mill

Ashes to ashes and dust to dust

Let the rich man live and the poor man bust

We'll never make it we never will

As long as we work in a rounding mill

I'm a-gonna starve and everybody will

'Cause you can't make a livin' in a cotton mill