They weigh the cotton
They store the corn
We only good enough
To work the rows
They run the commissary
They keep the books
We gotta be grateful
For being cheated
Whippersnapper clerks
Call us out of our name
We got to say mister
To spindling boys
They make our figgers
Turn somersets
We buck in the middle
Say: Thankyuh, sah
They don't come by ones
They don't come by twos
But they come by tens
They got the judges
They go the lawyers
They got the jury-rolls
They got the law
They got the sheriffs
They got the deputies
They got the shotguns
They got the rope
We git the justice
In the endwe git the justice
In the end
And they come by tens
Their fists stay closed
Their eyes look straight
Our hands stay open
Our eyes must fall
They got the manhood
They got the courage
We got to slink around
Hangtailed hounds
They burn us when we dogs
They burn us when we men
And they come by tens
I had a buddy
Six foot of man
Muscled up perfect
Game to the heart
Outworked and outfought
Any man or two men
He spoke out of turn
At the commissary
They gave him a day
To git out the county
He didn't take it
He said: Come and get me
They came and got him
He stayed in the county
He lays there dead
They don't come by ones
They don't come by twos
But they come by tens
