This is a little story I have to tell
If it wasn't for my friend named Jenny Riley
I couldn't have told it so well
(What a poet)
Well I was born in Arkansas
My daddy he is a tanner there
You know he never does nothing
He never does nothing
Except sew kid gloves for the ladies
My mama she sits in the kitchen there
Baking pecan pies to sell at the fair
You know she never says nothing
She never says nothing
Except, "Where'd you go? What do you know? What do you know?"
Ooh, "What do you know know?"
Well my sister you know, she sings so sweet
She knocks all the young men right onto their feet
She makes all the young girls want to tear out their hair
You know she never says nothing
She never says nothing
Except, "Who am I? Tell me why, tell me"
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
Yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
Well I'm going back, back to Arkansas
And I'm gonna hide out on the back porch there
You know I won't do nothing
I won't do nothing
Except sing pretty songs to the ladies
Yeah, I'm gonna sing pretty songs to the ladies
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah