Conversation With A Mule

	  		CHORDS are the same for all verses:  
 
(Spoken:)  
G Old mule, you're the son of a donkey  
A And I'm in the image of God  
D7 Yet, here we work, hitched together 
Toilin' and tillin' the G sod 
G I wonder if you work for me  
A Or I work for you, old mule  
D7 At times I think it's a partnership  
Between a mule and a doggone G 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.  
 
Source: 
200 years of American Heritage in Song. 
Country Music Hall of Fame