Come you ladies and gentlemen listen to my song
I'll sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong
May make you mad, but I mean no harm
It's just about the renters on Tanner's farm
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
2) You move out on Tanner's farm
Plant a little crop of 'bacco and little crop of corn
Come around and see you gonna flit and flot
'Til you get yourself a mortgage on-a everything you got
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
3) Hasn't Tanner got a flattering mouth
Move you to the country in a little log house
Got no windows, put the cracks in the wall
He'll work you all summer and he'll rob you in the fall
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
4) You go in the fields you'll work all day
Way after night but you get no pay
Promise to meat or a little bucket lard
It's so hard to be a renter on Tanner's farm
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
5) Here's Tanner he'll come in town
With his wagon load of peaches, not-a one of them sound
Got to have his money or somebody's check
Pay him for a bushel and you don't get a peck
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
6) Tanner's renters, they'll come into town
With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down
Go in the store and the merchant will say
"Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay"
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
7) Down in his pocket with a trembling hand
"Can't pay you all but I'll pay you what I can"
Then to the telephone the merchant'll make a call
He'll put you on the chain gang [if you] don't pay it all
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
Tanner's renters, they'll come into town
With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down
Go in the store and the merchant will say
"Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay"
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
I'll sing it to you right, but you might think it's wrong
May make you mad, but I mean no harm
It's just about the renters on Tanner's farm
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
2) You move out on Tanner's farm
Plant a little crop of 'bacco and little crop of corn
Come around and see you gonna flit and flot
'Til you get yourself a mortgage on-a everything you got
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
3) Hasn't Tanner got a flattering mouth
Move you to the country in a little log house
Got no windows, put the cracks in the wall
He'll work you all summer and he'll rob you in the fall
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
4) You go in the fields you'll work all day
Way after night but you get no pay
Promise to meat or a little bucket lard
It's so hard to be a renter on Tanner's farm
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
5) Here's Tanner he'll come in town
With his wagon load of peaches, not-a one of them sound
Got to have his money or somebody's check
Pay him for a bushel and you don't get a peck
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
6) Tanner's renters, they'll come into town
With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down
Go in the store and the merchant will say
"Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay"
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
7) Down in his pocket with a trembling hand
"Can't pay you all but I'll pay you what I can"
Then to the telephone the merchant'll make a call
He'll put you on the chain gang [if you] don't pay it all
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm
Tanner's renters, they'll come into town
With their hands in their pockets and their head hanging down
Go in the store and the merchant will say
"Your mortgage is due and I'm looking for my pay"
It's a-hard times in the country
Out on Tanner's farm