PICKIN' TIME
(Cash)

Johnny Cash
recorded 1958


I got cotton in the bottom land,
It's up and growin' and I got a good stand.
My good wife and them kids o' mine
Gonna get new shoes come pickin' time,
Get new shoes come pickin' time.

Ev'ry night when I go to bed
I thank the Lord that my kids are fed.
They live on beans eight days and nine,
But I'll get 'em fat come pickin' time,
Get 'em fat come pickin' time.

The corn is yellow and the beans are high,
The sun is hot in the summer sky.
The work is hard till layin' by,
Layin' by till pickin' time,
Layin' by till pickin' time.

It's hard to see by the coal oil light,
And I turn it off pretty early at night.
A jug o' coal oil costs a dime,
But I'll sit up late come pickin' time,
Sit up late come pickin' time.

My old wagon barely gets me to town,
I patched the wheels and I watered them down.
Keep her in shape so she'll be fine
To haul my cotton come pickin' time,
Haul my cotton come pickin' time.

Last Sunday mornin' when they passed the hat
It was still nearly empty back where I sat,
But the preacher smiled and said, "That's fine,
The Lord'll wait till pickin' time,
The Lord'll wait till pickin' time!"




(Transcribed by Peter Akers - January 2020)