D7/F# C
[Verse 1]
D7 C
Back before the blues were blue
D7 C
When the good ol’ songs were new
D7 C
Songs that may no longer please us
F C
‘Bout the darkies, about Jesus
G C
Mississippi minstrels, colour of molasses
F C G C
Strumming on their banjos to entertain their massas
Am Abaug
Some said garbage, others said art
C D7 C D7 G C F C F C
You couldn’t call it soul, you had to call it heart
[Chorus]
G C
Oh, backs broke bending, digging holes to plant the seeds
F C G C
The owners ate the cane and the workers ate the weeds
G C
Put the wood in the stove and water in the cup
F C G C F C F C
You worked so hard that you died standing up
[Verse 2]
D7 C
When I was a little thing
D7 C
Papa tried to make me sing
D7 C
'Home Sweet Home' and 'Aura Lee'
F C
These were songs that my daddy taught me
G C
'Camptown Races' and 'Susannah Don’t You Cry'
F C G C
'Gentle Annie' still brings a tear to my eye
Am Abaug
Label it garbage, label it art
C D7 C D7 G C F C F C
You couldn’t call it soul, you had to call it heart
[Chorus]
G C
Oh, backs broke bending, digging holes to plant the seeds
F C G C
The owners ate the cane and the workers ate the weeds
G C
Put the wood in the stove and water in the cup
F C G C F C F C
You worked so hard that you died standing up
[Verse 3]
D7 C
Sing me songs of days gone by
D7 C
Make me laugh and make me cry
D7 C
Break my female heart in two
F C
Sing me songs that say “I love you”
G C
Lower your eyes and raise your hand up to your breast
F C G C
Sing me one about the sun setting in the west
Am Abaug
Ooh ooh ooh, ooh ooh
C D7 C D7 G C F C F C
[Chorus]
G C
Oh, backs broke bending, digging holes to plant the seeds
F C G C
The owners ate the cane and the workers ate the weeds
G C
Put the wood in the stove and water in the cup
F C G C
You worked so hard that you died standing up
[Chorus]
G C
Oh, backs broke bending, digging holes to plant the seeds
F C G C
The owners ate the cane and the workers ate the weeds
G C
Put the wood in the stove and water in the cup
F C G C F C G F C
You worked so hard that you died standing up
