Go to sleep little Cory for you can't understand
you're a sick little baby in your mothers tired hands
well your Daddy fetched the doctor but he had to use his gun
he's always been reckless and he's always on [bad word] well the doctor says he's worried cause your fever hadn't broke
gonna wrap you in a blanket gonna put you on a boat
sail across the mississippi to a town where music plays
gonna steak you penicillin make your fever go away

And when you grow up don't you hate your momma and daddy
cause they gave you everything that you ever had
and it ain't no wonder that most dont make it
no wonder so many die, it ain't easy to be a pioneer when the land that you move to is dry

Wake up little Cory and get the water from the well
count to nine Mississippi then your Daddy needs your help
give the feed to the chickens and in the rows you plant the corn
get the rations up for winter and build a fire to keep it warm
and you'll learn to use a riffle and you'll learn to use a knife
and you'll learn how to hunt and you'll learn how to fight
and you learn to pack a saddle and you take it off to town
just a three days of riding sell the skinds and turn around

And when you grow up don't you hate your Momma and Daddy
cause they gave you everything that they ever had
and it ain't no wonder that most don't make it
no matter how hard they try, it ain't easy to be a pioneer when the land that you move to is dry

Go to sleep little Cory for you're a grown boy
gonna have to be the man now with your Daddy off to war
keep your eye on the horses and keep your mother safe
got two hungry sisters and another on the way

And when you grow up don't you hate your Momma and Daddy
cause they gave you everything that they ever had
and it ain't no wonder that most don't make it
no wonder so many die, it ain't easy to be a pioneer when the land that you move to is dry
it ain't easy to be a pioneer when the land that you move to is dry