Come here ladies and gentleman
  Listen to my song
  Play it to you right
  But you may think it wrong
  May make you mad
  But I mean no harm
  It's just about the renters
  On Penny's farm
  It's a hard time in the country
  Down on Penny's farm
  
  Go into the fields
  And you work all day
  Deep into the night
  But you get no pay
  Promise you some meat
  Or a little bucket of lard
  It's hard to make a living
  On Penny's farm
  It's a hard time in the country
  Down on Penny's farm
  
  Hear George Penny
  He'll be coming into town
  With a wagon load of peaches
  Not a one of them sound
  Gotta get his money
  Gotta get a check
  Pay you for a bushel
  But you never get a peck
  It's a hard time in the country
  Down on Penny's farm
  
  George Penny's renters
  They be coming into town
  With their hands in their pockets
  And their heads hanging down
  Go to the merchant
  And the merchant he'll say,
  "your mortgage it is due
  And I'm looking for my pay"
  It's a hard time in the country
  Down on Penny's farm
  
  Deep into his pocket
  With a trembling hand,
  "can't pay you what I owe
  But I'll pay you what I can"
  Down to the merchant
  And the merchant make a call
  Put you on the chain gang
  Don't pay at all
  It's a hard time in the country
  Down on Penny's farm