Cotton Need A Pickin'

as done by Bernice Reagon on Folkways Records, 1965


She says this is a work song for pickin cotton and she got some of the words from Alan Lomax, American Ballads and Folk Songs

You know that plenty of cotton am on there,
Well-a, hundred by the tree,
You know the Yankee signed them papers
And they set them darkies free.

Chorus

You know
Cotton pickin so bad,
Cotton pickin so bad,
Cotton pickin so bad,
I'm gonna pick all over this world.

You know, workin on the cotton track,
Well-a ever since that day,
And I just found out this year
Why I never draw no pay.

Chorus

You know the boss done sole my cotton,
And I asked him for my half
He said, Willie you done chalked [sic] out,
You're half way to debt.

Chorus

You know, the boss told Uncle Billie,
He said, you done done right well,
You done paid your debts with the cotton you picked
So I'll give you seeds to sell.

Chorus