So this is a little story I have to tell. If it wasn't for my friend Jeannie Riley, I couldn't have told it so well

Well I was born in Arkansas

My daddy he is a tanner there

You know he never does nothing, he never does nothing

Except sew kid gloves for the ladies

My momma sits in the kitchen there

Baking pecan pies to sell at the fair

You know she never says nothing, she never says nothing

Except "where'd you go, what do you know, what do you know?"

Well my sister, you know, she sings so sweet

She knocks all the young men right onto their feet

She makes all the young girls want to tear out their hair

You know she never says nothing, she never says nothing

Except "who am I, tell me why, tell me?"

Well I'm going back, back to Arkansas

And I'm going to hide out on the back porch there

You know I won't do anything, I won't do nothing

Except sing pretty songs to the ladies