Seven cent cotton an' a forty cent meat How in the world can a poor man eat? Flour up high and cotton down low How in the world can we raise the dough? Clothes worn out, shoes run down Ol' slouch hat with a hole in the crown Back nearly broken and fingers all sore Cotton gone down to rise no more Seven cent cotton an' eight dollar pants Who in the world has got a chance? We can't buy clothes, we can't buy meat Too much cotton and not enough to eat Can't help each other, what'll we do? I can't explain it so it's up to you Seven cent cotton and two dollar hose Guess we'll have to do without any clothes Seven cotton an' a forty meat How in the world can a poor man eat? Mules in the barn no crop laid by Corn crib's empty and the cow's gone dry Well water low, nearly outta sight Can't take a bath on a Saturday night No use talkin', any man is beat With seven cent cotton an' a forty cent meat Seven cent cotton an' a forty cent meat How in the world can a poor man eat? Poor are gettin' poorer all around here Kids comin' regular every year Fatten our harvest, take into town All we get is six cents a pound Very next day we have to buy it back Forty cents a pound in a paper sack