Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
 Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
 And every cow's calf man honey he was born to die

I'm a-milk my heifer, milk her in a churn
 I'll milk my heifer, I'll milk her in a churn
 If you see my rider tell her it ain't a darn thing doin'

I wring my hands baby and I wanted to scream
 I wring my hands honey and I wanted to scream
 And I woke up I found out it was all a dream

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
 Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
 And every cow's calf man honey he was born to die

Hey hey hey, I ain't going to be here long
 Hey hey, pretty mama, I ain't going to be here long
 That's the reason why you hear me sing my old lonesome song

Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
 Hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey
 And every cow's calf, honey, got to lay down and die

I walked the levee, I just walked end to end
 I walked the levee, honey, from end to end
 I just want to find my cow again

I'm stealing back to my used-to-be
 I'm stealing, I'm stealing back to my used-to-be
 Hey, pretty mama, please don't tell on me