Every Day Dirt
The Doc Watson Family Lyrics

John come home all in a wonder,
John returned home in a state of confusion and surprise.

He rattled at the door just like thunder.
He knocked on the door loudly and vigorously.

"Who is that?" Mr. Henley cried.
Mr. Henley inquired about the identity of the person knocking on the door.

"'Tis my husband! You must hide!"
John's wife informed Mr. Henley that it was her husband knocking and asked him to hide.

Then John sat down by the fireside a-weepin',
John sat by the fireplace and cried.

An' up the chimney he got to peepin'.
He looked up the chimney.

There he saw that poor old soul
He saw an unfortunate, pitiable person.

Settin' up a-straddle of the pot-rack pole.
Sitting astride the pot-rack pole.

Then John built on a rousing fire
John lit a large, blazing fire.

Just to suit his own desire.
To satisfy his own wants or needs.

His wife got out with a free good will,
His wife got out of bed willingly.

"Don't do that, for the man you'll kill!"
His wife warned him not to build such a large fire that could harm the person on the pole.

Then John reached up and down he fetched him
John grabbed the person from the pole.

Like a coon when a dog had ketched him.
Like a raccoon caught by a dog.

He blackened his eyes and then did better:
He hit him in the face and then did something else more severe.

He kicked him out right on his setter.
He kicked him out and onto his belongings or property.

Then his wife she crawled under the bed.
His wife hid under the bed.

And he pulled her out by the hair of her head.
He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her out from under the bed.

"And when I'm gone, remember then!"
He gave a warning or a threat.

He kicked where the chinches had been.
He kicked the spot where bedbugs had been.

Now the law went down and John went up.
The law arrested John and he went to jail.

He didn't have the chance of a yaller pup.
He didn't have any chance or opportunity to defend himself.

They sent him down to old chain gang.
He was sent to work on a labor gang.

For beatin' his wife, the dear little thing.
He was arrested for domestic violence against his wife.

Well John didn't worry, John didn't cry,
John didn't worry or cry about his situation.

But when he got home he socked her in the eye.
But when he got home, he punched his wife in the eye.

They took him back to the old town jail,
He was again taken to jail.

But his wife got lonesome and she paid his bail.
His wife got lonely and paid his bail to release him.

Then the judge sent back, made him work so hard
The judge sent John back to work on hard labor.

He longed to be home in his own front yard.
John wished he could be at home.

They kept him there and wouldn't turn him loose.
He was kept there and not released.

I could tell you more about him, but there ain't no use.
There's no point in telling you more about John.