Diamonds
Jack and Eliza Lyrics

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Now there's a man you'll hear about
Most anywhere you go,
And his holdings are in Texas
And his name is Diamond Joe.

And he carries all his money
In a diamond-studded jar.
He never took much trouble

With the process of the law.

I hired out to Diamond Joe, boys,
Did offer him my hand.
He gave me a string of horses
So old they could not stand.

And I nearly starved to death, boys,
He did mistreat me so.
And I never saved a dollar
In the pay of Diamond Joe.

Now his bread it was corn dodger
And his meat you couldn't chaw.
Nearly drove me crazy
With the waggin' of his jaw.

And the tellin' of his story,
Mean to let you know
That there never was a rounder
That could lie like Diamond Joe.

Now, I tried three times to quit him
But he did argue so.
I'm still punchin' cattle
In the pay of Diamond Joe.

And when I'm called up yonder
And it's my time to go,

Give my blankets to my buddies
Give the fleas to Diamond Joe.

Overall Meaning

The song "Diamonds" by Jack and Eliza tells the story of a man named Diamond Joe, a wealthy man whose holdings are in Texas. Diamond Joe is known for carrying all his money in a diamond-studded jar and never taking much trouble with the process of the law. The singer of the song hired out to Diamond Joe and was given a string of horses that were so old they could not stand. The singer nearly starved to death as Diamond Joe mistreated him so, and he never saved a dollar while working for Diamond Joe. Diamond Joe's bread was corn dodger and his meat was so tough it couldn't be chewed, which nearly drove the singer crazy. Diamond Joe was a notorious liar and rounder who always told tall tales. Despite trying to quit working for him three times, the singer is still punchin' cattle in the pay of Diamond Joe.

These lyrics paint a picture of a harsh and challenging life working for a wealthy, dishonest man. The singer is struggling to survive and is mistreated at every turn. The story of Diamond Joe highlights the power dynamics at play in a capitalist society, where those with money and holdings hold all the power.

Line by Line Meaning

Now there’s a man you’ll hear about Most anywhere you go, And his holdings are in Texas And his name is Diamond Joe.
Diamond Joe is an infamous man whose wealth is spread far and wide with all his possessions situated in Texas. His name is at the forefront of folk tales and stories told everywhere.

And he carries all his money In a diamond-studded jar. He never took much trouble With the process of the law.
Diamond Joe carries his money everywhere he goes in a jar filled with diamonds. His actions and dealings outside of the law prove his disregard for legalities and their implications.

I hired out to Diamond Joe, boys, Did offer him my hand. He gave me a string of horses So old they could not stand.
I accepted an offer to work under Diamond Joe. In return, he gave me a string of horse so old they were barely standing.

And I nearly starved to death, boys, He did mistreat me so. And I never saved a dollar In the pay of Diamond Joe.
The treatment I received from Diamond Joe was so bad that I almost died of starvation. Not only that, but I could never save any money while working under his pay.

Now his bread it was corn dodger And his meat you couldn't chaw. Nearly drove me crazy With the waggin' of his jaw.
Diamond Joe's food was barely edible and often made with corn. I could not chew on his meat, and his constant talking drove me crazy.

And the tellin' of his story, Mean to let you know That there never was a rounder That could lie like Diamond Joe.
He has a story to tell, and it is important to know that no one could lie in the same way as Diamond Joe. His dishonesty is second to none.

Now, I tried three times to quit him But he did argue so. I'm still punchin' cattle In the pay of Diamond Joe.
I tried to leave Diamond Joe three times, but he always somehow convinced me to stay. As a result, I am still working under his pay and punching cattle for him.

And when I'm called up yonder And it's my time to go, Give my blankets to my buddies Give the fleas to Diamond Joe.
When I die, I want my blankets to go to my friends, and I want Diamond Joe to have all the fleas that have been bothering me while working under him.

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: JACK ELLIOTT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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