Once I had a heart like a mean old hen Kept her locked up in a chicken wire pen Clucking at the walls, scratching at the ground Peck at anybody who would come around Then one day she didn't sing I listened close but I didn't hear a thing Looking all around, calling her name But that was the day my little hen went tame Cluck old hen, cluck and sing Ain't laid nothing since way last spring Cluck old hen, cluck and squall Ain't laid nothing since way last fall Well, I made it clink and I made it clank Shook my heart like a piggy bank Looking for a yes, looking for a no Looking for anything down in that hole Cluck old hen, cluck and sing Ain't laid nothing since way last spring Cluck old hen, cluck and squall Ain't laid nothing since way last fall Once I had a heart like a mean old hen Bound to lose a finger if you stick it in the pen Made 'em yell, made 'em shout Made 'em cry like you read about Once I had a heart like a little child Once it was greedy, once it was wild Kicking like a mule, chewing like a pup Once upon a time you couldn't shut it up Cluck old hen, cluck and sing Ain't laid nothing since way last spring Cluck old hen, cluck and squall Ain't laid nothing since way last fall