Lazy Bones
Johnny Mercer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't get your day's work done, sleepin' in the noon day sun
Lazybones, layin' in the shade, how you gonna get your cornmeal made?
You can't get no cornmeal made, sleepin' in that evening shade
When taters need sprayin', I bet you keep prayin'
The bugs'll fall off of the vine
Them fish don't grab your line
Lazybones, loafin' all the day, how you spect to make a dime that way?
You won't make no dime that way, loafin' in the shade all day
The song Lazybones by Johnny Mercer is a witty and humorous take on the concept of laziness. The lyrics describe a person who is sleeping in the sun instead of doing their work or lying in the shade instead of making their cornmeal. The refrain repeats the question of how they expect to get anything done while being lazy. The verses then provide humorous examples of the consequences of laziness, such as when the taters need spraying, the bugs not falling off the vine, or when fishing, hoping that the fish won't grab their line.
The song is a playful commentary on the idea of the American work ethic, where hard work and productivity are highly valued. The lyrics subvert that idea by suggesting that being lazy can have its own benefits and drawbacks. The playful tone of the song and the clever lyrics make it a classic example of Mercer's wit and songwriting prowess.
Line by Line Meaning
Lazybones, sleepin' in the sun, how you spect to get your day's work done?
You can't get your day's work done, sleepin' in the noon day sun
Lazybones, layin' in the shade, how you gonna get your cornmeal made?
You can't get no cornmeal made, sleepin' in that evening shade
When taters need sprayin', I bet you keep prayin'
The bugs'll fall off of the vine
You hope the bugs will go away from the potato plants when you need to spray them
And when you go fishin' I bet you keep wishin'
Them fish don't grab your line
You hope the fish won't take your bait when you go fishing
Lazybones, loafin' all the day, how you spect to make a dime that way?
You won't earn any money loafing around in the shade all day
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HOAGY CARMICHAEL, JOHNNY MERCER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Trombonology Erstwhile
As we know, indolence was a fascinating subject to popular songwriters of the '30s -- here is one of the best, and most famous, explorations of the theme. Who was better suited than the lyricist himself to deliver this number?