Blake's recording differs somewhat from the sheet music by Jean Havez at Levy site, linked to above by Sorcha. Blake's attribution is 'traditional', but that obviously is incorrect. He gives no source for his version. Fiddlin' John Carson recorded it for Okeh (OK 45056) in Atlanta in March 1926, but the stanzas of his version differ from both the Levy version and the Blake version. The chorus is pretty close in all three. The songster, Jesse Fuller, recorded the song for Prestige in 1963, but his version was mainly intrumental with chorus only. The Fantasy double LP, 'Brother Lowdown', on which it may be found, has been reissued on CD. Riley Puckett recorded it a month after Carson (Columbia 15078-D), in April 1926, but this has not been reissued in any format.

Here is my transcription of Blake's recording:

EVERY WORKS BUT FATHER

Every morning at six o'clock, I go to my work
Overcoat buttoned up around my neck, no job would I shirk
Icy winds blow around my head, cutting at my face
I'll tell you what I'd like to have, it's my dear old father's place

Chorus:
Everybody works but father
He lays around all day
Feet stretched out to the fire
Smoking his pipe of clay
Mother takes in washing
And so does sister, Anne
Everybody works around our house
But my old man

At beating carpets father said he simply was a prince
We took all of mother's carpet out and we hung it on the fence
Then, mother said: 'Now, beat it, dear, with all your might and main'
Father he just beat it back to the fireside again

Chorus

Now, everybody works but father, he's gonna work next week
Bought him a pick and shovel, gonna dig out (up) Decatur street
Mother's quit takin' in washing and so has sister Anne
Everybody takes vacation but my old man

Chorus

Source: transcription from Norman and Nancy Blake 'Blind Dog' Rounder CD 0254.

--Stewie.