When I was a little boy I always wanted to fly I flapped my wings like a seagull And I flew up to the sky When I got up in Heaven I seen something I never have seen There was a lot of burly coons Just a-scratchin' on the turnip greens He's a fool about his turnip greens Oh yes, indeed he are Corn bread and buttermilk And the good old turnip greens Mister Spencer went to Chicago And I went to New Orleans I got mad and walked all the way back home Just to get my greasy turnip greens Oh the white man wears his broad cloth And the Indian he wears jeans But here comes the darkey with his over-alls on Just a-scratchin' on the turnip greens He's a fool about his turnip greens Oh yes, indeed he are Corn bread and it's greasy And the good old turnip greens White man goes to the college And the Negro to the fields The white man will learn to read and write And the Negro will learn to steal Oh the white folks in their parlors Just eatin' their cake and cream But the darkey's back in the kitchen Just a-scratchin on his turnip greens He's a fool about his turnip greens Oh yes, indeed he are Corn bread and pepper sauce And the good old turnip greens