There was a camptown man,

Used to plow and sing.

And he loved that mule,

And the mule loved him.

When the day got long,

As it does about now,

I'd hear him singing,

To his muley cow.

Calling come on my sweet old girl,

And I'd bet the whole damn world,

That we're gonna make it yet,

To the end of the road...

Singin' hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind.

Hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind,

I say hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind, no more...

Said it's a mean old world,

Heavy in need.

That big machine,

Is just a picking up speed.

They were supping on tears,

They were supping on wine.

We all get to heaven,

In our own sweet time...

So come on you ashville boys,

And turn up your old time noise,

And kick 'til the dust comes up,

From the cracks in your floor.

Sayin' hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind.

Brother, hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind.

Hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind, no more...

But the camptown man,

He doesn't plow no more.

I've seen him walking down,

To the cigarette store.

Guess he lost that knack,

And he forgot that song.

Woke up one morning,

And the mule was gone.

So come on you ragtime kings,

And come on you dogs and sing,

And pick up the dusty old horn,

And give it a blow...

Sayin' hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind.

Honey, hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind.

Sugar, hard times,

Ain't gonna rule my mind, no more...