Diamond Joe

Traditional


There is a man you hear about
Most anywhere you go,
His holdings are in Texas
And his name is Diamond Joe.
And he carries all his money
In a diamond-studded jar.
And he never had much bother
For the process of the law.

I hired on with Diamond Joe, boys,
I did offer him my hand,
And he gave a string of horses
So old they could not stand.
And I nearly starved to death, boys,
He did mistreat me so.
I never saved a dollar
In the pay of Diamond Joe.

Now his bread it was corn dodger
And his meat I could not chaw,
And he drove me near distracted
With the waggin' of his jaw.
By the tellin' of this story,
I aim to let you know
There never was a rounder
That could lie like Diamond Joe.

I tried three times to quit him, boys,
But he did argue so
That I'm still punchin' cattle
In the pay of Diamond Joe.
And when I'm called up yonder
And it's my time to go,
Give my blankets to my buddies...
And give the fleas to Diamond Joe.