Well the cows gone dry the hens won't lay no place I can borrow I give the landlord all the news and the rent comes due tomorrow There's lots of money in the bank they say that's where they keep it Not only wouldn't they loan me some they wouldn't let me see it So pick away on the old banjo keep that guitar strumming Put more water in the soup there's better times are coming Well Mary Lou could pull a plow if only I would let her She's twice as strong as any ox but looks a little better I didn't kiss that Mary Lou but once and then I had to leave her She made my collar get too high and start the burning fever So pick away on the old banjo keep that guitar strumming Put more water in the soup there's better times are coming Yeah! My rooster used to chase the hens he just kept a getting thinner He'd run himself to death so I brought him in for dinner Yes the cotton crops are pretty poor the weeds are really growing I need a woman pretty fast to help me with the hoeing So pick away on the old banjo keep that guitar strumming Put more water in the soup there's better times are coming So pick away on the old banjo keep that guitar strumming Put more water in the soup there's better times are coming Better times are coming