ROUGH AND READY MAN
Alberta Hunter


Folks I'm looking for a worker …not you
I want an extra special kind
When I get the type of man I want
I know I'm gonna have a little time
Got to be ambitious, a man that loves to work
I don't want no man that's lazy, no man that tries to shirk
I want a two-fisted, double-jointed, rough and ready man
I want a hard working, no shirking, good and steady man

Now he can be a backwards farmer or a digger in a ditch
He can even drive a garbage wagon
Honey it don't make no difference which
Long as he's a two-fisted (oh please), double-jointed, rough and ready man
I want a hard working, no shirking, good and steady man

Now I don't have to have a fat man
And neither must he be too thin
And I sure don't want no guy
Got to get all pepped up on gin
And if he doesn't like soap and water
Don't let that worry you …we'll get along
But honey I want a man like Joe Louis
You know… a man that's big and strong
I want a two-fisted, double-jointed, rough and ready man
I want a hard working, no shirking, good and steady man

Now he can be knock-kneed, box-ankled
He can even have frog-eyes
But that won't make a bit of difference… if he's Ok… otherwise
 I want a two-fisted, double-jointed, rough and ready man
I want a hard working, no shirking, good and steady man

When he snores I want the force to blow the bedclothes to the floor
And the breezes from his wheezes to knock the padlock off the door
When I come home some morning all dressed up like Esther's horse
I want him to grab me and tear all of my clothes, just to let me know who's boss
I want a two-fisted, double-jointed, rough and ready man
I want a hard working, no shirking, good and steady man

I want a man who won't let his children play with neither dog nor cat
But will drag in a skunk or a lion and say
"Here, you kids, play with that"

I want a two-fisted, double-jointed, rough and ready man
Is that clear to you? 
Rough and ready man



(Contributed by Philip Graves)