Get Behind the Mule Songtext
von Tom Waits

Molly be damned smote Jimmy the Harp
With a horrid little pistol and a lariat
She′s goin' to the bottom
And she′s goin' down the drain
Said she wasn't big enough to carry it

She got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
She got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Keep behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Choppity chop goes the axe in the woods
You gotta meet me by the fall down tree
Shovel of dirt upon a coffin lid
And I know they′ll come lookin′ for me boys
I know they'll come a-lookin′ for me


Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Keep behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Big Jack Earl was 81
He stood in the road and he cried
He couldn't make her love him
Couldn′t make her stay
But tell the good Lord that he tried

Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
You got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Dusty trail from atchison to placerville
On the wreck of the weaverville stage
Beaula fired on beatty for a lemonade
I was stirring my brandy with a nail boys
Stirring my brandy with a nail


Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Keep behind the mule
In the morning and plow
You got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Well the rampaging sons of the widow james
Jack the cutter and the pock marked kid
Had to stand naked at the bottom of the cross
And tell the good Lord what they did
Tell the good Lord what they did

Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
You got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Punctuated birds on the power line
In a studebaker with the birdie joe joaks
I'm diggin′ all the way to China with a silver spoon
While the hangman fumbles with the noose, boys
The hangman fumbles with the noose

She got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
You got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Pin your ear to the wisdom post
Pin your eye to the line
Never let the weeds get higher than the garden
Always keep a sapphire in your mind
Always keep a diamond in your mind

You got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow

Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow
Got to get behind the mule
In the morning and plow