State of Arkansas

My name is Charlie Brennan, from Charleston I come
I’ve traveled this wide world over, some ups and downs I’ve had
I’ve traveled this wide world over, some ups and downs I’ve saw
But I never really knew what misery was till I hit old Arkansas
Got off the train in Little rock in the middle of winter
Nobody there to extend to me his paw
Or bid me welcome to this State of Arkansas
And it was cold
I dodged behind the depot to dodge that blizzard wind
I met a walking skeleton, he said his name was Thomas Quinn
Well, his hair hung down in rat-tails on his lean and lantern jaw
He invited me to his hotel, he said it was the best in Arkansas
I followed my conductor to his respective place
Where pity and starvation were to be seen on every face
Well, his bread it was corn dodger and his meat I could not chaw
But he charged me a half a dollar in the State of Arkansas
And I went out and got me a job on a farm, farming
But I didn’t care for the work or the farmer
Or his wife and none of his children
So I went up to him one day and I said
«Mister I’m gonna quit this job and you can just pay me off right now»
He says, «Okay son, if that’s the way you feel about it»
And he took me out in the barn and he handed me a mink skin
I said, «I don’t want this thing I want my money
For the work I’ve done»
He said, «Son, you may not know it but mink’s skin is
What we’re using for currency down here now»
So I took it, when into town, hunted up a place
Put my mink skin up on the counter and turned
If the bartender didn’t toss me a pint
And he picked up my mink skin, blowed the hair back on it
Put it under the counter, fetched me out fourteen rabbit skins and
Three possum hives for change
I’m going to the Indian territory and live outside the law
I’ll bid farewell to the kin bricks in the State of Arkansas
If you ever see me back again, I’ll give to you my paw
But it’ll be though a telescope from Hell to Arkansas