Natalie Merchant Follow

Come here ladies and gentleman
Listen to my song
Play it to you right
But you may think it wrong
May make you mad
But I mean no harm
It's just about the renters
On Penny's farm
It's a hard time in the country
Down on Penny's farm

Go into the fields
And you work all day
Deep into the night
But you get no pay
Promise you some meat
Or a little bucket of lard
It's hard to make a living
On Penny's farm
It's a hard time in the country
Down on Penny's farm

Hear George Penny
He'll be coming into town
With a wagon load of peaches
Not a one of them sound
Gotta get his money
Gotta get a check
Pay you for a bushel
But you never get a peck
It's a hard time in the country
Down on Penny's farm

George Penny's renters
They be coming into town
With their hands in their pockets
And their heads hanging down
Go to the merchant
And the merchant he'll say,
"your mortgage it is due
And I'm looking for my pay"
It's a hard time in the country
Down on Penny's farm

Deep into his pocket
With a trembling hand,
"can't pay you what I owe
But I'll pay you what I can"
Down to the merchant
And the merchant make a call
Put you on the chain gang
Don't pay at all
It's a hard time in the country
Down on Penny's farm