Mule/stall Lyrics - Jawbox - Jawbox

Old Mule by Arthur Smith (Spoken) 

Old mule, you're the son of a donkey 

And I'm in the image of God 

Yet, here we work, hitched together 

Toilin' and tillin' the sod 

I wonder if you work for me 

Or I work for you, old mule 

At times I think it's a partnership 

Between a mule and a doggone fool. 

When plowin', we go the same distance 

But I work harder than you 

You skim the ground on four good legs 

And I hobble along on two 

So, mule, mathematically speakin' 

You're four legs 'gainst my two 

I do twice the work per leg 

I do twice as much as you. 

Now soon we'll be makin' the corn crop 

That crop'll be split three ways 

A third for you, a third for me 

And a third for the landlords' pay 

You take your third and eat it 

You're gettin the best! And How! 

I split my third amongst the wife and eight kids 

The banker, six hens and a cow. 

And right here mule, I might mention 

You only plow the ground 

I shock the corn and husk it 

While you're hee-hawin' around 

All Fall and part of the Winter 

Old mule, you know it's true 

I break my back with a cotton sack 

Tryin' to pay off the mortgage on you. 

The only time I'm your better 

Is when election comes 

A man can vote and a mule cannot 

But that don't worry you none 

Because you're a wise old donkey 

You know what to worry about 

You knew politics wouldn't help you none 

And I'm just findin' it out. 

So, mule, confidentially speaking 

Would you change places with me 

Would you take up all my worries 

And still contented be 

Would you swap places, I'm askin' 

'Course, you know we couldn't 

But would you, if you could, now tell the truth 

You're doggone right, you wouldn't.