Long-haired preachers come out every night, Try to tell you what's wrong and what's right; But when asked how 'bout something to eat They will answer in voices so sweet
Chorus You will eat, by and by, In that glorious land above the sky; Work and pray, live on hay, You'll get pie in the sky when you die
And the Starvation Army, they play, And they sing and they clap and they pray, Till they get all your coin on the drum, Then they tell you when you're on the b**
(Chorus) Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out And they holler, they jump and they shout Give your money to Jesus, they say, He will cure all diseases today
(Chorus) If you fight hard for children and wife- Try to get something good in this life- You're a sinner and bad man, they tell, When you die you will sure go to hell.
(Chorus) Workingmen of all countries, unite Side by side we for freedom will fight When the world and its wealth we have gained To the grafters we'll sing this refrain
Chorus (modified) You will eat, by and by, When you've learned how to cook and how to fry; Chop some wood, 'twill do you good Then you'll eat in the sweet by and by
The chorus is sung in a call and response pattern.
You will eat [You will eat] by and by [by and by] In that glorious land above the sky [Way up high] Work and pray [Work and pray] live on hay [live on hay] You'll get pie in the sky when you die [That's a lie!]
Thus the final verse becomes
You will eat [You will eat] by and by [by and by] When you've learned how to cook and how to fry [How to fry] Chop some wood [Chop some wood], 'twill do you good [do you good] Then you'll eat in the sweet by and by [That's no lie]
The fourth verse is not normally sung today, probably because of the reference to "children and wife" not being gender-neutral.
Other variations include changing the second line of the chorus to "In that glorious land up in the sky" and the last line of the third verse to "And you will eat on that glorious day." Workingmen is normally changed to working folks, as well.
The above lyrics are from the 19th edition of the Little Red Songbook.
Chorus You will eat, by and by, In that glorious land above the sky; Work and pray, live on hay, You'll get pie in the sky when you die
And the Starvation Army, they play, And they sing and they clap and they pray, Till they get all your coin on the drum, Then they tell you when you're on the b**
(Chorus) Holy Rollers and Jumpers come out And they holler, they jump and they shout Give your money to Jesus, they say, He will cure all diseases today
(Chorus) If you fight hard for children and wife- Try to get something good in this life- You're a sinner and bad man, they tell, When you die you will sure go to hell.
(Chorus) Workingmen of all countries, unite Side by side we for freedom will fight When the world and its wealth we have gained To the grafters we'll sing this refrain
Chorus (modified) You will eat, by and by, When you've learned how to cook and how to fry; Chop some wood, 'twill do you good Then you'll eat in the sweet by and by
The chorus is sung in a call and response pattern.
You will eat [You will eat] by and by [by and by] In that glorious land above the sky [Way up high] Work and pray [Work and pray] live on hay [live on hay] You'll get pie in the sky when you die [That's a lie!]
Thus the final verse becomes
You will eat [You will eat] by and by [by and by] When you've learned how to cook and how to fry [How to fry] Chop some wood [Chop some wood], 'twill do you good [do you good] Then you'll eat in the sweet by and by [That's no lie]
The fourth verse is not normally sung today, probably because of the reference to "children and wife" not being gender-neutral.
Other variations include changing the second line of the chorus to "In that glorious land up in the sky" and the last line of the third verse to "And you will eat on that glorious day." Workingmen is normally changed to working folks, as well.
The above lyrics are from the 19th edition of the Little Red Songbook.