Come all you wound people, I pray you draw near
A comical story you soon shall hear
A comical ditty to you I'll unfold
I came from Missouri at twenty years old

Derrie down down down derrie down

I stopped in a tavern to stay all night
My supper and breakfast I thought it all right
The table was set and knickknacks were spread
With hoecake and hominy and possum's head

Now all the good people were heartily fed
On hoecake and hominy and possum's head
The straw it was scattered the sheepskin was spread
Now says the old woman we'll all go to bed

I laid myself down expecting some ease
I scarcely could sleep for the lice and the fleas
The fleas they would bite and the lice they would crawl
It's enough to torment any human at all

Adieu to Missouri I'll did you farewell
Go back to Illinois were I used to dwell
Where women are raring and tearing their hair
For the loss of their true love since I left there